The Spectacular Spider-man
by choejhulkp9
Summary: One happenstance trip to Central City in December changed the life of one individual in a way he never imagined. You wake up one day and all of a sudden, your body changed, you gain super powers and you find yourself wondering if it was an accident or maybe it was meant to happen. Who knows but all I know is with great responsibility comes...a lot of weird crap.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, here's a story that I never anticipated doing but after playing the new Spider-man PS4 video game, it got me inspired to try one. A Spider-man inspired hero in the Arrowverse. I thought it would be interesting and after tossing around a few ideas in my head, I thought I'd give it a try. One thing to remember though, it's not going to be a complete crossover with Arrow and Spider-man. My OC is just inspired by the Spider-man game, comics, movies and cartoons. Him along with any villains I use.**

 **One little excursion to Central City in December turned out to be a blessing in disguise for one of Starling City's residents. One small encounter turned out to chance his whole world from that point. But it doesn't stop there are he learns that being different might also mean helping people if he can. With great power comes…a lot of weird crap.**

 **The Spectacular Spider-man: Once is happenstance, twice is coincident, three times is fate**

 **December 11, 2013-Central City**

The city was busy with excitement as the STAR Labs Particle Accelerator was going to be turned on tonight. It was a big deal in the science community as it would be a new source of renewable clean energy and would help further the advancement of science and medicine. News cameras from all over the country were here for this historic event including a large crowd of people to watch the event along with protestors who felt the Particle Accelerator was a time bomb waiting to go off.

In the crowd was a Starling City college freshman who was here on a special trip with his advance physics class to see the Particle Accelerator. This person was William Alexander Detmer. A Starling City University Freshman double majoring in physics and engineering with a minor in chemistry and biology. He was born and raised in Starling City all his life with his parents, Richard and May Detmer. Will was a smart kid at an early age with an affinity for all things science. He had no idea where he got it because his dad was an FBI agent and his mom was a doctor. Still, they helped nurture his mind at an early age and he was easily smarter than any kid his age although it did leave him the target of bullies and teasing as he was called a nerd often. Plus his glasses and lanky build didn't help either. His dad passed away on the job when he was in middle school in a raid that took down the Maggia Crime Family of Starling City. It was a tough time, but Will stood strong for his mom and vice versa. Will eventually got a scholarship to attend Starling Academy, the city's best high school where only the rich and elite could attend. Life there wasn't any better either but it was all worth it as he got a full ride to Starling City University. No extra cost to his mother at all and he could pursue his goals with science. Because of his excellence in high school and with a placement test, Will got into an advance physics class that was reserved for the juniors and seniors. The class took a trip to Central City for the unveiling of the Particle Accelerator and its activation.

Will was in the crowd with his classmates who were there with the rest of the crowd to watch the event. He was wearing converse sneakers, blue jeans, and a button up shirt with a sweater over that and a jacket over that. He had the camera on his phone ready to go off as soon as the ceremony started. He fixed the glasses on his face as he watched with anticipation to the start of the event.

The crowd then began cheering as Dr. Harrison Wells took his place at the podium to address the crowd. "Thank you. My name is Harrison Wells and tonight…the future begins. The work my team and I will do here will change our understanding of physics, will bring about advancements in power, advancements in medicine, it will bring about advancements…period. This is the future. And trust me, it'll be here faster than you think." Harrison Wells addressed the crowd when a purse snatcher took someone's purse.

"Hey, he has my laptop. It's has my dissertation in it." Someone said as her friend chased the thief through the crowd. The thief ran through people and knocked Will to the ground as he and the girl's friend ran away.

"Well, I see tonight's entertainment is not limited to the stage." Wells said as Will sat up off the ground and began looking for his glasses which were knocked off. He found them to his side but saw that the lenses were cracked.

"Aw man. If I had a dollar every time these things got broken, I'd be able to afford laser eye surgery." Will said as his classmates helped him back to his feet. He had his spare back in his college dorm so he'd have to stick with blurry vision for now. He put them in his pocket and was so focused on his glasses and the Particle Accelerator that he missed a small red, black and blue spider crawl up his jeans.

"What's the first thing you'll do when the Accelerator goes online?" One of the reporters asked.

"Well, that'll be crack open an expensive bottle of Dom Perigon with my staff because I ride them hard and they've earned it." Dr. Wells joked as everyone laughed. "Next?"

"Those protesting the accelerator believe it could open a black hole in Central City but is it not more likely to cause a benevolent phenomenon, like a Higgs boson bridge?" A woman asked as Will looked in her direction but his vision was blurry that he couldn't see her clearly.

"The only phenomenon that will occur this evening is one that's been calculated to the tiniest detail to the tiniest decimal point." Wells told her.

"So you've foreseen every possible outcome?" She asked.

"Yes, I have Miss?" Wells asked her name.

"Mrs. Marliese Devoe." She replied as Wells nodded as he recognized that name.

"Devoe. Devoe. I would expect that would make the gentleman to your right your husband?" Wells asked as Clifford Devoe nodded his head. "Clifford Devoe. I'm a big fan of your work. Sir, I believe it'll have an enormous impact on our future…yours especially and another here."

Wells looked through the crowd and looked at Will in particular, but Will couldn't tell where he was looking because he couldn't see. "Good luck. Thank you everyone for being here." Wells said as the crowd applauded and he and his team went inside. The crowd dispersed a bit as they waited for the accelerator to turn on while the protestors kept shouting for Wells to stop doing this. Will took out his glasses and looked at the crack and put them on, having some kind of vision would be better than running into somebody.

He put them on and despite the cracks in the lenses he was able to see. He saw a couple walk by, talking about the Accelerator and how it wasn't going to work and would explode. Will recognized the woman's voice as the one who asked him the question. Marliese Devo. They said something about a plan and a cap. The weather started to turn as it began to rain and thunder. Will took out an umbrella to cover himself as more of the crowd began to disperse and even some of his classmates were heading someplace inside. Will looked up at the sky to see the lightning flash and thunder roar. The water splashed on his glasses a bit when all of a sudden he heard some kind of weird machine sound and the rain stopped right in front of him like someone hit pause. Will reached his hand out and saw some of the rain float up into the air before another loud thunder roar went off followed by an explosion causing people to run. The rain came back in full force as the crowd ran for safety. Two people knocked Will to the ground and knocked his glasses away again. Will sat up and with his blurry vision he saw Clifford Devoe pull out some kind of metallic cap with sensors and readers that most likely measured brain activity.

"Will! Come one!" One of his classmates shouted as Will saw Clifford Devoe wasn't leaving so he ran over to get him to move.

"Sir, we need to go! It's too dangerous!" Will shouted as Clifford pushed him away.

"All for the cause of science." Clifford said as he put on the cap. A huge orange energy explosion erupted from STAR labs and washed past Will and Clifford and then all over Central City. It affected their bodies and even affected the small spider that was crawling down Will's arm, causing it to glow. Once the energy wave rushed past Devoe, several bolts of electricity hit his helmet and began shocking him, energizing whatever kind of helmet he made. One of the bolts of electricity ricocheted off the helmet and sparked past Will, further energizing the spider that was now on Will's hand. The spider then bit Will on the hand hard.

"AH!" Will shouted as he slapped his hand and saw he killed a small red, black and blue spider that bit him. Will's teacher ran into the rain and helped him get inside a building to safety as Will scratched the bug bite on his hand, not knowing what would await him tomorrow.

Police and Fire department teams quickly began responding to emergency calls that night for injuries and fatalities from the explosion as even the National Guard arrived to help. FEMA came a few days later and declared STAR Labs as a Class 4 hazardous location. Will and his classmates took the train back to the Starling City soon after the event. Will was feeling funny and went back to his dorm to get some much needed sleep. He passed out on his bed face first; unaware of the changes that would happen when he woke up.

 **December 14, 2013-Starling City University**

Will groan in annoyance as the sun peaked though his window and hit him in the face. He reached over and closed the blinds to save him from the evil of the sun. He looked up at his alarm clock and saw it was around noon so he got up. The semester was over so he didn't have classes just finishing up his engineering project and that was due later this week. Will looked and saw his roommate's bed was empty. He was about to go back to bed when he heard his cellphone go off and reached over to pick it up. The Caller ID read _Aquagirl_.

"Hello?" Will spoke into the phone as he rubbed his eyes to wake up.

" _Will, it's me. Where are you?"_ A female voice spoke.

"In my dorm, asleep. What's up?" Will asked.

" _What's up? Aria and I are waiting for you at the library. You said you'd help us with our science final?"_ She told him as Will realized he was late.

"Oh, crap I overslept. I'm sorry Em. I'm on my way now. Five minutes top." Will told her as he stood up from his bed and grabbed his glasses.

" _I'm be counting the seconds."_ She said as she hung up.

Will quickly change out of the clothes he wore to bed and grabbed a fresh pair of boxers from his drawer. He grabbed his jeans from his hanger and walked over to the bathroom to brush his teeth as quickly as possible. He gargled water and mouthwash and spat it into the sink and put on his glasses but his vision got blurry causing him to squint his eyes. He took them off and saw he could see perfectly fine which was weird because he always needed his glasses. He put them back on and his vision got worse so he put them down.

"Weird." Will said as he put them down and walked back to his bed when he stopped and looked into the mirror. It wasn't just his eyesight that changed…he changed. He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself to make sure it was real but he had physically changed. He used to be lanky and slim, which made him the target for bullies back in middle school, high school and even now but he now had muscles. Solid muscles. Defined biceps and pectoral muscles and he now had a six pack. Not overly built but someone who was in perfect shape for his age. He flexed a bit in the mirror to see his new muscles when he noticed he was also a little taller. Will was 5ft9 inches if he stood up completely straight but now he was easily 6ft. What the hell happened to him?

Will looked down at his hands and saw the small mark from where the spider bit him in Central City the night the Particle Accelerator exploded. Could the bite have something to do with this but before he could even think of any more answers, his phone went off with a text from _Aquagirl_ telling him to pick up some coffee for them and they'd forgive him for being late.

Will grabbed a t-shirt and zip-up hoodie, his backpack and slammed the door on his way out, missing that the door knob came completely off. Will walked out of his dorm and through campus as he normally would be invisible and people wouldn't pay him a second thought but everyone was looking at him as if he was a new student. People wondered who he was and those that knew of him recognized him after a few seconds and began gossiping about how he changed so quickly.

Will walked over to the Starbucks on campus and ordered one grande caramel macchiato with cinnamon sprinkled on top and one Hazelnut Latte. He put the coffees into a drink carrier and made his way over to the library. He walked past the administration building and saw some movers bringing old equipment and furniture out on trolleys to be replaced with new ones. The brake device on the trolley was squeaking under the intense weight of several desks and file cabinets and it being old wasn't helping either. The movers dropped one more desk onto the trolley and the sudden jerk caused the brake to break and sent if flying down the pathway straight towards Will.

"Shit! Kid, look out!" one of the movers shouted as Will got a tingling sensation in the back of his head. Time seemed to slow down around him as Will took in his surrounding environment. He turned his head to see a large trolley of furniture and office supplies rolling straight for him and would run him over painfully. Will's body went on autopilot as he tossed the drink carrier high into the air and then did a 540 butterfly twist to the side and landed in a crouch as the trolley blew past him and crashed onto the grass. Will held his hand out caught the drink carrier in his hand with ease. To the bystanders watching, it looked like something out of an action movie. The movers ran over to the trolley as one of them went over to Will.

"Jesus. You all right, kid?" He asked as Will was unsure how any of that happened.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." Will said.

"Those were some impressive reflexes there. You a gymnast or something?" He asked.

"Not exactly." Will said as he walked away to the library. He kept going over in his head how any of this was possible. I mean, he used to have a hard time completing PE back in high school and now he was able to pull off a flip that takes gymnasts years to learn and he did it without any second thought or hesitation. And what was up with the weird tingling sensation.

Will was pulled out of his thoughts as he arrived at the library. He walked up to the second floor and made his way past the book shelves to the table where he saw Aria and Emily. Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields were Will's best friends in college. They met in their English literature class on the first day of classes after Will helped Aria when her bag fell apart before class. They got paired up on a few assignments and quickly became friends much to the surprise of Will. Back in high school, girls usually avoided him unless they were brainy like he was or needed him to do their homework for them, but Aria and Emily were nice…although he did help them with their science homework and assignment but willingly. Aria and Emily liked Will and despite his kind of shy, goofball, science geek personality, he was the only genuine nice guy in the entire school without an ulterior motive for a hook up. Will helped them in school and Aria and Emily helped Will be a bit more social. They were as thick as thieves and Will was one of the first people Emily went to when she came out of the closet and he never looked at her any different. It was one of the moments that solidified their friendship.

Emily was the athletic one of their little friend group which showed as she was one of the best swimmers on the schools team and it's why Will had her caller ID as Aquagirl, kind of an inside joke. She was also the best striker on their volleyball team and was an amazing dancer. Aria was the literature god of the group as she wanted to be a writer. She also had a small interest in fashion and art and was learning to dance from Emily.

"Hey Em, Aria sorry I'm late but I did get your coffee. One grande macchiato and one hazelnut latte." Will said as he put their drinks down in front of them and sat down. He put his backpack in the extra chair and took out his binder when he noticed they were looking at him funny. "Everything ok?"

"You tell us." Emily said as she and Aria couldn't stop starring at him.

"What happened, Will? Where are your glasses?" Aria asked as Will realized they never saw him without his glasses.

"Uh…I got contacts. Yeah, contacts." Will said as they looked at him funny.

"You got contacts within the 16 hours since we last saw each other?" Emily asked not believing his excuse.

"No, of course not." Will said as he quickly thought up of an excuse. "My mom had ordered them a while ago and they came yesterday. What do you think?"

"Uh…you look good." Aria said as she took a few seconds to reply because she never saw Will like this. With his glasses, Will had a meek appearance but was cute in a bookish kind of way. Now, he looked he went through puberty the right way and was cute in a teen heart throb/grown up kind of way. The kind of guy she would ask on a date.

"Thanks, I think I'll stick with the contacts from now on." Will said as he opened up his binder.

"Is that a new sweatshirt?" Emily asked as she looked at him. Will looked down at his hoodie.

"No, same old hoodie. Why?" Will asked as she looked at him.

"It looks a little snug." She said as she was right. It was a tiny bit snug now due to Will's sudden growth.

"Uh, just shrunk in the wash. I was bound to have an accident sometime and it just happened to be now." Will said as Emily wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure you're all right, Will? You seem different. You know you can tell us anything." Emily said.

"Yeah, I know Em. But I'm fine, really. Guess I woke up on the right side of the bed." Will told them. "Now, let's get you girls ready to ace this final."

Will went over the things they'd need to know for their final and after a few hours, they got to a point where they were comfortable for their exam. They'd study a few more times later this week until their test. The sun was going down and it was dinner time so Will, Emily, and Aria left the library and went to the dining hall to get some food. As they were walking to the dining hall, Aria and Emily then noticed that Will was taller than they were. Granted he was already taller than Aria, but he used to be the same height as Emily. Now he was taller. It's like he shot up three inches overnight.

"And now you're taller than me? Ok, what happened, Will?" Emily said, stopping them. "Seriously, you're taller than me now, you look like you gained muscle overnight, and I can see your eyes and you're not wearing contacts. What's going on?"

"I'm not…" Will stopped as he got another tingling sensation in the back of his head and quickly reached behind his head to grab a football that would have hit him. It all happened in the span of a second and looked like Will knew it was going to happen. Will, Emily, and Aria were shocked as Will looked and saw it was members of the football team who threw it at him. He took the football and threw it back at them, throwing it with more strength then he intended, and it nailed one of them in the gut and knocked him to the ground.

"Whoa…" Aria was shocked at what she just saw. The usual nice and meek Will Detmer just nailed one of the football players in the gut with a throw any professional player would kill to have.

"Will…what happened to you?" Emily asked, now worried about her best friend as Will looked at his hands, now realizing something was seriously wrong with him.

"I honestly don't know." Will told them.

They went to the dining hall and sat down at a table by the corner to give them some privacy. Aria got a salad and Emily got some pasta while Will got a burger, fries, three slices of pizza and a plate of spaghetti…he was starving and to their surprise, he at it all in one sitting and he was fine. Aria and Emily looked at Will as they saw him finish all that food with ease.

"Wow. Guess I was hungry." Will said as he cleaned his mouth with a napkin.

"I suddenly don't have an appetite." Aria said as she pushed her half-eaten salad plate away.

"So, are you going to tell us what happened to you? What caused all this…change?" Emily asked.

"I would if I knew but…I'm not even sure I know the entire truth. I mean, I just woke up this morning like this." Will told them.

"You just woke up this morning having grown three inches taller and not needing glasses?" Aria asked as Will nodded.

"Guys, look I know how it sounds." Will told them.

"It sounds like something out of those old science fiction movies you made us watch." Emily said.

"Hey, you said those were funny in an ironic way." Will said as Emily chuckled.

"We're serious, Will. I mean movie magic is one thing, but people don't magically change body types, grow three inches, and not need corrective lenses overnight. Can you remember anything before this all happened?" Emily asked as Will rubbed his forehead.

"Uh…I wasn't feeling great the past few days and I passed out right away last night." Will told them as he rubbed his eyes and looked at the small little scar where he got his spider bite. "After I was bitten by a spider a few days ago."

"Did you say bitten by a spider?" Emily asked. Will nodded as he looked at the scar on his hand.

"I know I don't do great in science and even less so in biology, but I don't think a spider bite can turn you from meek geeky, science nerd into a Michael Phelps." Aria said as Will looked at her.

"Wow, thanks for that." Will said, a little hurt by her words as Aria chuckled.

"You know what I mean." She told him.

"She's right. Not about the Michael Phelps thing. I don't think Will's got the Michael Phelps physique. Maybe more of Cristiano Ronaldo body type." Emily suggested as Aria looked at Will.

"Oh, that works better." Aria said.

"Ok, not to stop this installment of dreamy athletes who aren't me, can we get back to the situation at hand here?" Will asked.

"Sorry, Will but Aria's right. A spider bite would send you to the hospital for poison, not give you a body makeover in one day." Emily told him as Will looked at his binder and saw an old flyer from the Particle Accelerator night in the flap.

"Unless it wasn't just a regular spider bite." Will told them as they were confused. "The night I was bitten by the spider I was in Central City for the Particle Accelerator demonstration. It bit me right after the accelerator exploded and a huge wave of energy rushed past me."

"So, what you were bit by a radioactive spider bite?" Aria asked.

"No. The accelerator wasn't a nuclear one, but it might explain some other things." Will said as he grabbed his backpack and made his way to the exit.

"Should we follow him?" Aria aske.

"Definitely." Emily said as they grabbed their bags and followed Will who made his way to the science building. They walked in as Will used a key to enter the restricted science lab and walked over to his designated and secured workstation. For those in advance physics and engineering courses, they were given designated and secure work places in the science lab where they could work on their projects and keep them secure.

Will walked over and turned on the computer and began opening up some files. He walked over to the spectrometer and turned it on and grabbed some glass slides and a microscope from the cabinet. Emily and Aria watched as Will was in full science mode and focused on what he was doing. Emily sat down on a stool as Aria walked over to his station and saw several beakers of chemicals and a notebook with chemistry notes on it that read _Hydrogen Oxide Cycline Acid Super Adhesive_.

Aria reached over to the touch the beaker and see what it was. "Please don't touch that." Will said, stopping Aria from touching the chemicals. "That's my final project for Engineering."

"Sorry. Super adhesive?" Aria asked.

"A special chemical formula I designed that creates a glue-like adhesive with the same tensile strength of steel cables. Still adjusting the formula." Will said as he took out a clean exacto-knife and pricked his thumb.

"Will, what are you doing?" Emily asked as she saw him prick his thumb. He put a small drop of blood on the medical slide and a drop of saline solution. He wrapped his thumb in a napkin and put the slide into the microscope which he hooked up to a computer. He looked in the microscope at the sample of his blood as the computer began analyzing the blood sample and projected it onto the computer screen. "Well? Don't keep us in suspense."

"I've study science all my life and I'd say I know a lot but whatever happened to me is something different." Will said as he looked at the blood sample. "My blood changed."

"What do you mean it changed?" Aria asked.

"Look." Will said as they looked at the blood sample on the computer screen and it showed an over active white blood cell count but not degenerative, rapid hemoglobin creation and faster blood vessel reproduction.

"For those that aren't doing so well in biology?" Aria asked.

"Sorry. This isn't how normal human blood acts. The white blood cells control your immune system and we all have a normal amount. A high or low count usually indicates something wrong and I have a high count. Plus, my blood is generating at a faster rate than normal." Will said as he took the blood sample and ran it through the mass spectrometer to get a better read out of his DNA.

It took a few minutes and the mass spectrometer produced a DNA double helix, but something had changed on a cellular level. "Jesus Christ. My DNA mutated." Will said.

"Mutated?" Emily asked.

"Yeah. Our DNA is naturally adaptable, and overtime can undergo changes known as mutations. some of the time they're harmless and in some cases, they can be helpful, but most cases are bad. Like Sickle Cell anemia is a genetic disease caused by the mutated version of the hemoglobin gene, the one that carries oxygen to the blood cells. I've studied the DNA of that disease and this is nothing like that. This is something else." Will said as he looked at his DNA and was both in awe and slightly worried.

"Ok, so what does this mean?" Emily asked as Will paced a bit to think. Aria walked over and looked through the microscope. She had no idea what she was looking at, she just wanted to look.

"I'm not sure. But this has to do with the Particle Accelerator explosion. You're right in the fact that a regular spider bite wouldn't do this, but a spider infused with the energy from the Particle Accelerator might." Will told them.

"What kind of energy?" Aria asked.

"I'm not sure. The Particle Accelerator was meant to help create a whole new understanding for our reality. I mean, physics problems and theoretical elements would have been proven if the thing worked." Will said as he was about to go on an entire lecture, but Emily raised her hand to stop him.

"Will, focus. What kind of energy?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. Dark matter, quantum energy, the possibilities are endless. Stuff that shouldn't normally exist or hasn't proven to be real but is. It's the only reason I can think of that caused my body to change." Will told them.

"So, what do we do?" Aria asked as Emily looked at her.

"We take Will to the hospital and get a doctor to look at him." Emily said.

"No, no way am I going to the hospital." Will told them.

"Will, you need to go to a hospital and let them figure out what's wrong with you." Emily told him.

"Emily, I'm not going to a hospital, so they can stick needles in my liver and probe me in uncomfortable places to figure out what happened. I have an aversion to needles, you already know that, but I also know that if they figure out what happened to me, they'll stick me in some kind of cell like a lab rat and do experiments on me for the rest of my life." Will told her.

"Will, you're being ridiculous and have watched one too many science fiction movies." Aria told him.

"Art often imitates life. And I know what they'll do if I go to a hospital. Hell, I've been studying science my entire life and I know what I would do if I encountered someone like me. I'm not going." Will told them. "Look, guys I know this is crazy but I'm not radioactive. If I was, the mass spectrometer would have read something. Even the computer reading of my blood would have read something so I'm not a danger to you two.

"Will, this is serious. I mean, who knows what that bite has done to your body. What it could be doing to your body now." Emily told him, worried about his safety.

"I know, and I appreciate your concern but I'm fine now. The last thing I need is to be poked and probed by doctors and scientists who want to see what my brain looks like on a dissection slab." Will told them. "Let me do a little more research and digging on my own to see what I can find out. I promise that if I get worse, I'll go straight to the hospital and you can say I told you so."

"Don't make me wait on that." Emily told him, genuinely worried about him. "I'm serious, Will."

"I promise." Will told her as he looked at himself in the reflection of the computer screen. He smiled as he looked at his reflection. "There is one upside to this."

Emily and Aria managed a small chuckle as they saw Will admiring himself in the reflection. "It's nice to see that you're not letting your new appearance go to your head." Emily said as Will chuckled.

"Cut me some slack. I've been a punching bag my entire life. Now, it won't be as easy." Will said as he powered down all the equipment and deleted all the records of his little blood test. He grabbed his backpack and put it on, adjusting his sweatshirt because it was a little snug. "Although I will need some new clothes."

"Now we're moving into my territory. Come on, let's go take Will shopping." Aria said as she took his hand and they walked to the door.

"You really think this is a good time for that?" Emily asked.

"No time like the present. Besides, I've been dying to give Will a makeover and this is the perfect chance." Aria said as she took Will's hand and dragged him out of the science lab.

"I don't whether or not to feel insulted." Will said as Aria dragged him away and Emily followed them.

They took a bus into the city and to the shopping district. Will was just a passenger as Aria and Emily took him to clothing stores and got him some new clothes. It was torture for Will as they went shopping for hours but Aria was having a blast. Aria had to measure him for new clothes and the first time she saw him without a shirt brought a blush to her face…it even brought a blush to Emily's face who wasn't even attracted to guys. Aria still couldn't believe that her best friend, the geeky book-worm, science nerd Will Detmer now was hot. It would take some serious getting used to.

After hours of shopping the trio were finally making their way back to the dorms. They walked out of the last shop and Will was carrying easily 10 bags of clothes. "You know, I think you might have overdone it, Aria." Will told her.

"Are you kidding? You should be thanking me. You're going to be turning heads when people see the new you." Aria said.

"I don't know about that. I've kinda gotten used to just blending in or being invisible." Will replied.

"Well, not anymore. Emily and I are now going to help transform the new Will Detmer." Aria said.

"I'm starting to regret being bitten by that spider." Will said as they walked down the street to the bus stop. As they walked down the street, Will noticed they were being followed by some rough looking guys.

"Hey, ladies. Going out for a stroll tonight?" One of the guys asked as he got in front of them and Will saw he had about four other friends.

"Yeah, just going home. Excuse us." Emily said as she tried to walk past him but the guy blocked her.

"Whoa, what's the matter, beautiful. It's a nice night and it's the holidays. We should all hang out…celebrate. Be jolly and all that." He said as Aria and Emily backed up a bit.

"Look, guys. We don't want any trouble, ok? Just let us go." Will said.

"Ah, listen to this guy. He's scared. Don't worry, we'll let you go after we get some Christmas money." One of the thugs said as he went to grab Will from behind. Will got another tingling sensation in the back of his head so he ducked, spun, and kicked the guy in the back, sending him flying into one of his friends.

"Oh man, I'm sorry. Are you, all right?" Will asked as he saw they were hurt.

He got another tingling sensation and turned around quickly, swinging his arm, and hitting one of the guys in the face who tried to attack him and knocked him out. Will dropped the bags as the fourth guy drew a knife and went to stab him but Will moved to the side and kicked him in the back, sending him flying into a fire hydrant. The guy who Will kicked got back up and charged at him and threw out wild haymakers that Will dodged with ease. A left, right, uppercut, Will dodged them so all the thug hit was air. Will then pushed the guy back but used too much strength and sent him flying back into another guy and they hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. The guy Will hit in the face grabbed him by the jacket, but Will grabbed his hands and squeezed, causing the thug to shout in pain. Will then threw him at the guy who hassled Emily who was about to shoot him with a gun. Will threw him with enough force that he knocked the two into a light pole, causing it to break in half.

Will, Emily, and Aria looked and saw all the thugs were on the ground, groaning in pain from the impromptu and accidental beatdown Will just gave them. "Whoa, Will how did you do that?" Aria asked as Will looked at his hands.

"I'm not exactly sure about that." Will said as Emily pulled out her phone and called the cops. Soon enough a cop car arrived and the police arrested the five thugs.

"That kid any normal! He's a monster!" One of the goons shouted as the officer put him in the back of the car. Will, Aria, and Emily were off to the side as a detective walked up to them. She was wearing a red shirt, leather jacket and jeans and was of Asian heritage.

"Are you kids ok?" She asked as Will, Emily, and Aria nodded.

"Yeah, we're fine." Emily said as she and Aria were still a little shaken up but were alive.

"Well, it's a good thing you called us and a good thing you stopped them. We've been after those five for a while. They've been harassing people, stealing, and assaulting among others. You did a very brave thing, kid." She said to Will who looked at Aria and Emily.

"I just wanted to protect my friends." Will said as she nodded and looked at the girls and at him. His hands were shaking…he was terrified of what nearly happened.

"And it was very brave. Hopefully there won't be a next time." She said as she handed him a business card. "Here, incase something else does happen."

Will looked at the business card and it read _Detective Yuriko Watanabe_. "Thank you, Detective." Will said as she smiled.

"It's me who should be thanking you. Now get home safely." She said as she had some uniform officers drive Will, Emily, and Aria back to campus.

"So, Will…how did you do that?" Aria asked as Will looked at his hands.

"Not sure yet. I'll find out." Will said wondering how else his body changed from the bug bite.

Line Break xxxxx

 **March 2014-Starling City University**

It's been nearly three months since Will discovered his new abilities and he was still figuring out what to do with them and how they worked. The only people who knew were Aria and Emily, he hadn't even told his mother yet because he didn't want her to worry and he knew she'd send him straight for tests. He loved his mother but he didn't want to make her worry, she had enough on her plate at the hospital as it is. Will spent all his free time researching how his body changed and what else it did to him. Thankfully, a lot of the stuff in the science and biology lab was able to help him.

One of the first things he learned was that his body changed physically giving him superior speed and strength then he had before…probably more so than any normal human. He, Emily, and Aria tested it at the school's gym after hours and he found he could bench press up to 800 lbs. with no problem. He even picked up one of the treadmills with ease and crushed the metal weight lifting pole by squeezing too hard. He needed to be careful with his strength because he could seriously hurt someone if he wasn't careful. He was also faster. He outran a treadmill and ran a mile in under 2 minutes. He also had superior reflexes, agility and balance. Emily took Will to the school's gymnasium where the gymnastic team practiced. They were there after hours and Will jumped around and found that he was able to jump and swing through the course like he was a seasoned Olympic acrobat. He even managed to balance himself upside down on one finger. He also could jump really high. He wasn't sure how high because Will didn't want to test that and end up hurt. He also found his eyesight remarkable improved and not just with no longer needing glasses. He could see in the dark and even see things from a far distance as clear as daylight.

Those were normal abilities he discovered; the weird ones he found out were his abilities to stick to walls, Bio-Electrokinesis, and his extrasensory metacognitive ability. The same time he learned he about his agility and balance, he learned he could stick to walls like a spider could, crawl up walls like a spider and even crawl on the ceiling and not fall down. Will did a little research and found that he somehow increased the attraction force of his body to surfaces allowing him to increase the coefficient of friction between his body and a surface and crawl up them. It was the only explanation he could come up with as he didn't see any small barbs on his fingers.

Bio-Electrokinesis was his body's ability to control the natural electricity it produces to send out small bio-electric shocks of energy. He destroyed his alarm clock and his phone by accident with this ability and he was still working on controlling it completely but he was able to interact with people without zapping them. His last ability was some kind of metacognitive perception or as Aria dubbed it, _spider-sense_. It was like an early warning system in the back of his head when something bad was going to happen to him like with the trolley car, that football to the head or with those thugs. He ran some tests with the girls in the lab. He blindfolded himself and had them throw things at him ranging from rubber balls to a glass beaker and to Will's shock, the tingling sensation crept up when something was going to hit him. He still was going to run some more tests but it seems that his spider sense came up when danger or a perceived danger was imminent and it was a signal to do something or get out of the way.

Will, Emily, and Aria were in the school's gymnasium for another test on his abilities. The gym was empty and Aria locked the doors just to be safe. Will didn't want anyone walking in and seeing what he could do. Will was wearing his sneakers, jeans, and a blue t-shirt now fit to his new body which showed off his lean and defined physique.

"All right, ready Em?" Will asked as Emily had her camera recording.

"Camera's ready." Emily said.

"All right. Test number 21 commencing." Will said as he rubbed his hands and ran through the gymnastic course. He jumped and flipped off a vault, spun over a high beam and swung back and forth from the gymnastic high bars. Will did a triple flip over a landing pad and bounced off a tumble track and landed hands first on a balance beam. He raised one hand off the beam and was doing a one-handed hand stand. He moved on the beam using his hands and then flipped forward and grabbed gymnastic rings and did a few flips and spins. Will then built up some momentum and swung through the air and stuck to the gym wall.

"Wow. That never gets old." Emily said as she recorded everything and was still amazed at what she was seeing.

"Imagine how Will must feel." Aria said as they saw Will crawl up the wall and then crawl along the ceiling. He then hung his legs on one of the rafters and dangles from the ceiling, enjoying the view. He saw one of the bannisters promoting the upcoming Gymnastic meet dangling in front of him when he got an idea, so he lean back and then swung forward, grabbing the bannister. It unhooked from the ceiling as Will held on and it swung him through the gym like Tarzan.

"WHOA!" Will shouted as he swung through the air.

"WILL!" Aria shouted as she thought he was going to get hurt but saw him swing through the air. Will reached the peak of his swing and grabbed the second bannister and swung again.

"JEEZ!" Will shouted as he swung through the air and grabbed a third bannister and swung through the air and landed safely on the ground. Will looked around, amazed at what he just did as he chuckled a bit. Aria and Emily looked at him and chuckled seeing how happy Will was.

"Nicely done, Tarzan!" Emily shouted as Will laughed.

"WOOOOOOO!" Will shouted at the top of his lungs, feeling alive.

They quickly left the gym before anyone found the three torn down bannisters. They had some classes to get to but would meet up afterward for dinner. Will went to the science building and was working on his super adhesive project. He managed to create a stable adhesive formula that was as strong as steel yet lightweight and malleable. Now he was working on the delivery system.

No one was in the science room as Will was alone at his work station, soldering some circuits into place for a small device. His workstation was littered with notes and materials for his project along with snacks and bottles of Gatorade. Will sipped some lemon lime Gatorade as he finished putting in the last circuit and closed up the compartment.

"Boo!" Will jumped as someone touched him and turned to see it was Aria.

"Jeez, Aria. Don't do that." Will told her as he felt his heart racing.

"How did you not know I was there? What, your spider sense not working?" Aria joked as Will sighed.

"I'm not sure. It only goes off if I'm in danger. Guess it must think you're not dangerous." Will joked as Aria playfully shoved him.

"Very funny." Aria said.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked as he looked at the clock. "I know I'm usually late I thought you have still class for another 15 minutes?"

"The professor let us out early today and with Emily still in class I thought I'd come find you. Figures you'd be in the science building." Aria said as Will chuckled.

"Aww…I was your second choice. I'm so touched." Will joked as Aria chuckled. As long as Aria has known Will he was always a jokester, often using it in tense situations.

"So, what are you working on?" Aria asked as she looked at the myriad of components on the desk.

"Just some things for my final project. My super adhesive." Will told her as she looked at the weird device he was building. "I managed to refine the formula for the adhesive so now I'm working on the delivery mechanism. Initially, I wanted a large machine to spin the stuff but then I thought how about something smaller instead."

Will took the device and clamped it around his wrist. It resembled a kind of silver wrist brace made of stainless steel. He took a small cartridge of the web fluid and placed it in the empty slot in the device, a small click indicated it was locked into position. He then took the device's power cord and plugged it into the wall outlet. He aimed the nozzle of the device at the cabinet and pressed a button on the back of the device and a distinct _thwip_ sound was heard and a small strand of white glue shot out and hit the cabinet.

"Whoa…" Aria said in amazement.

"Cool, huh. The adhesive works in any form. You mix it together and you could throw it at the wall, problem is that it's a little hard to control so I made this. The mixture's kept in the cartridge and when you press the button, it pierces and forces it under pressure through the spinneret at the nozzle into a strand about a few millimeters in diameter." Will said as he yanked the adhesive free and fired another strand at his backpack and pulled it over to him. "Just point, click and glue."

"This is so cool." Aria said as Will took the gauntlet off and put it on her wrist so she could play with it. She began firing glue strings all over the room and was having fun. "This is amazing, Will. You made your own webs."

"Excuse me?" Will asked.

"Well, you were bit by a spider and have some spider powers so now you have something to make spider webs, which is a good thing because I definitely don't need to see you spinning webs out of your butt." Aria said as Will sighed.

"Aria, I'm pretty sure if I did make webs like a spider, it'd be from a spinneret gland on my abdomen not my butt." Will said as he thought about it for a moment. "At least I hope so."

Aria chuckled as she took the device off her wrist. "Still nicely done, Will. This'll make you a millionaire someday." Aria said.

"That's the plan." Will said as he unplugged the power cord and began collected the webbing to get rid of it. "I plan to use a smaller power source but I'm having a hard time finding a batter powerful enough to make the device work and that lasts a while. Plus, the trigger isn't the best."

"Still, that thing is way beyond what anyone else is doing. You'll get an A for sure and I can brag to everyone about how I'm friends with the smartest person on campus." Aria said as Will chuckled. He gathered up all the adhesive strings and flushed it down the sink.

"Maybe. There's this girl Spencer who's just as smart as I am in my biology class and she's really competitive." Will said to Aria.

"Spencer? About the same height as Emily, brown hair, a little uptight and scary?" Aria asked as Will nodded.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Will asked.

"You must mean Spencer Hastings? Emily and I have our art history class with her. She's a little wound tight and a bit of a perfectionist but she's nice when you get to know her. Emily and I really like her." Aria told her.

"I'll take your word for it." Will said as she looked at him. "She scares me."

"Really? This coming from the guy who took down five goons and swung from the gym rafters?" Aria asked.

"Hey, the gym thing was science and the thugs were spider sense. Spencer is…scary. She reminds me of my mom on her bad days." Will said as he shivered a bit from the memory of his pissed off mom.

"Whatever Spider boy. Come on, let's get some dinner." Aria said as Will locked up his desk. Aria locked arms with him and they left for the dining hall where they met Emily.

Line Break xxxxx

 **Starling City University**

It was Friday and Will was in his dorm room doing some last-minute adjustments to his super adhesive delivery device. He found an old phone at the recycle station in the electronic store and made some adjustments to the battery to fit onto the device to power it. It would last a few days on a full charge and was small enough to fit. He also developed a better trigger for the device attached to the nozzle so when he put it on his wrist, it fit in his palm. He just had to apply some force and it worked just like the old trigger. He was just making some minor adjustments to improve the sensitivity.

Will was alone at the moment because his roommate was with his girlfriend and Emily and Aria are with Spencer in the city. Apparently, Spencer's Pre-law class got invited to watch the trial of Frank Bertinelli and Emily and Aria were coming along so they could hang out in the city after. He would normally be in the science building, but some noxious chemicals were spilled and the whole placed needed to be aired out for a week. Will was making some last-minute adjustments on the device when his phone went off and he saw it was Emily. He pressed the speaker button and answered.

"Hey, Em." Will said.

" _Hey, Will. What are you doing?"_ Emily asked as Will finishing adjusting the sensitivity on the trigger device.

"Just working on a project. How about you? How's life at the courthouse?" Will asked.

" _Oh, a little busy. Spencer's all kind of exciting. And I think Aria sees Oliver Queen."_ Emily said as Will chucked.

"Is she head over heels yet?" Will asked as he waited for her to answer. "Em?"

" _EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"_ Will heard followed by an explosion and people screaming.

"Emily! What's going on!" Will shouted into the phone, worried about her. "Emily, talk to me!"

" _Helena Bertinelli, lay down your weapons and put your hands on your head! Give up, Ms. Bertinelli. The building is surrounded!"_ Will heard followed by gunshots. " _Take hostages and fall back!"_

"Emily, pick up please! Emily, can you hear me?!" Will shouted as he heard some movement.

" _Sorry, she can't come to the phone right now."_ He heard a voice say before the line dropped.

"Oh, my god." Will said as he grabbed his blue sweatshirt, his wallet and left for the door when he stopped himself. He looked back at his super adhesive device on his desk and in that moment, he acted. He grabbed a cartridge of the adhesive fluid and snapped it into place before shoving the device in his sweatshirt pocket and left campus. He took a taxi into the city and to the courthouse where the Police, SWAT and Anti-Vigilante Taskforce had set up a perimeter and were keeping everyone back.

Will walked through the crowd and made his way to the perimeter where officers were keeping everyone back. Will looked and saw a command tent set up and saw a familiar police detective walk by and recognized her as the one who gave him her business card.

"Detective Watanabe!" Will shouted as Yuri heard say her name and looked to see it was a kid. She walked over and recognized the kid from a few months ago. "Detective! What's going on?"

"I can't comment on an active situation, I'm sorry." Yuri replied.

"Please, detective my friends were in there! Did they get out?!" Will pleaded as Yuri looked at him.

"I'm sorry. None of the hostages got out." She said as she walked away.

"Dammit." Will exhaled in frustration and worry as his friends were likely hostages or dead. He had to get them out if they were in there and couldn't wait on the police or the Vigilante if he showed up. Will walked away from the crowd to get some space when he noticed a window on the far side of the fourth-floor that was open. He looked and saw a building across the street that had a rooftop that wasn't covered by a sniper.

Will wasn't sure what came over him, but he made his way through the crowd and over to the building. He walked over to the alley of the building and made sure there were no cameras around but just to be safe, he put his hoodie on and pulled the strings to tighten it. He then began crawling up the side of the building until he made it to the roof.

He crouched so he wasn't seen and slowly made his way over to the edge, judging the distance to be about maybe 30 feet to the building and he was about 40 feet high…and right then and there, his fear of heights kicked in.

"Ok, about 30 feet to the building. Just have to jump straight and pray I don't hit the wall or make too much noise." Will said, sweating bullets in his hoodie and began pacing back and forth, gibbering to himself. "I can do this. I mean, I'm strong, fast and can stick to walls. Plus, my spider sense will keep me safe. And I've got my trusty super adhesive device that'll stick the bad guys. Although, I never put it through a field test like this before."

Will was getting more and more nervous as his hands were beginning to shake. "And I'm blabbing on because I'm nervous and I know there's an 89% chance I'll die. This is crazy…but it's to save Aria and Emily. And those other people, and Spencer. Even though she scares me. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can't do this. I can't do this." Will said as he took out his adhesive device and attached it to his left forearm and the trigger fell in place nicely in his palm. Will shook his hands out, jumped in place, and cracked his neck. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this!"

Will then ran forward as fast as he could and jumped off the rooftop. He sailed through the air and then tucked himself into a roll as he landed through the open window and crashed onto the ground in a thud. He rolled from the impact and hit the wall.

" **[Groans of pain]** I sure hope that healing fast came with the spider bite." Will said as he sat up and rubbed his head. "Ah, well I least it didn't end up with a concussion. This brain of mine is my golden ticket."

Will looked around and saw no one in the room. "And I'm starting to lose it because I'm talking to myself." Will then heard some movement, so he quickly jumped onto the ceiling and hugged a dark corner as he saw a guy armed with an Uzi walk. He walked around and saw the window open.

" _Report."_ The guy lifted up his radio to respond.

"Nothing here. Must have been a breeze that knocked the window open." He said as he walked over and closed it.

" _We can't take any chances. Search the floor or else you won't get paid."_ The voice replied as Will recognized it as the one he heard before Emily's phone cut out.

The guy walked out of the room as Will crawled along the ceiling. "Hired guns. But who's the brains behind all this?" Will asked himself as he followed the guy, crawling slowly along the ceiling. Will looked around and tried to figure out where exactly the hostages could be, but he's never been here before. He's starting to regret being sick on that one middle school field trip here.

Will slowly crawled along the ceiling when he heard some movement in one of the rooms and saw two girls talking. They were older than him, probably in their mid-20s. One was dressed in business clothes and the other was a blonde in black leather, mask and was carrying a bo staff. She was the mysterious woman in black he heard about a few months ago. They then moved out of the room and through the halls as Will watched from the ceiling.

" _ **I'm inside, I've got Laurel Lance."**_ The Canary said.

"Is that the Arrow?" Laurel asked as Will know now knew the woman in black worked with the Arrow.

" _ **I'm headed to an egress point in the south wing."**_ The Canary said as she led Laurel away.

"Wait." Laurel stopped her. "What about the other hostages? You're just gonna leave them?"

" _ **I need to get you to safety."**_ The Canary said as she drag Laurel away.

"I don't understand! What is so special about me?" Laurel asked as the Canary turned her head.

" _ **She won't leave."**_ The Canary spoke, like she was talking to someone else.

"I know Helena. She's gonna kill all those people, innocent people. You wanted me to show you I'm strong, this is me being strong. I'm staying." Laurel said. "Are you gonna help me or not?"

' _Aria, Emily. I've got to help.'_ Will thought.

" _ **It's not like I can just knock her out."**_ The Canary said. _**"What, are you afraid of what she'll do? Or what I'll do? I am what I need to be."**_

The Canary then took out her small earpiece and nodded to Laurel before snapping her bo staff in two and giving her one and the two walked away. _'Great. I should have brought a bow or a sword. What can I do? I don't even know how many there are. If I walk in there I could get myself or the hostages killed._ ' Will thought as he looked around and saw a fire extinguisher on the wall giving him an idea. _'Then again, my dad used to always say to think with my brain first. And my brain just came up with an idea.'_

He aimed his adhesive device and shot a line at the fire extinguisher case and yanked it open. He then fired another line and pulled the fire extinguisher to him. ' _Just a few more.'_ Will thought as he crawled on the ceiling to find more.

In one of the main work rooms of the building, Helena and her band of mercenaries were keeping watch over the hostages which included Emily, Aria, and Spencer. A simple class trip into the city turned into a hostage situation where they were scared for their lives. Helena stalked around the circle of hostages in her purple coat and mask and was wielding one of her crossbows. She then knelt down to a woman who was wearing an engagement ring.

"I was almost married once." Helena said as she stood up and kicked a guy into Emily, Aria, and Spencer. They were terrified. Helena then walked over to the phone which the SCPD were connected to from the outside. "It's been an hour, and I'm a woman of my word. Just ask my father."

Helena raised her crossbow to shoot one of the hostages when a small round object rolled onto the floor. It let loose a loud high-frequency sonic blast that shattered the glass and caused everyone to cover their ears for protection. The sound soon stopped as the Canary walked forward and engaged Helena in a fist fight. Laurel walked in soon after and went over to help the hostages.

"Everything's going to be ok." Laurel said as she began to undo their restraints. The Canary kept fighting the Huntress as Laurel hit one of the mercenaries in the face, but another grabbed her from behind and disarmed her. Helena now had the Canary on the ropes, using her own fighting stick. She then grabbed her by the throat and threw her out of the window. The fall would have seriously hurt her if she didn't unravel some cloth and hooked it onto a railing to slow her descent.

Helena was about to shoot the Canary in the head when the Arrow ran by and shot the crossbow out of her hand with an arrow. The mercenary shoved Laurel with the rest of the hostages as Helena walked over, unholstering her other crossbow. She took off her mask and knelt in front of Laurel.

"Nice to see you again, Laurel." Helena said with a smirk as Laurel glared at her. The phone then rang so Helena picked it up.

" _Helena, listen to me. This has to end."_ The Arrow told her.

"I agree. And it ends with my father in a box." Helena said.

" _Ugh. The police are never going to hand over your father."_ He told her.

"No, they won't. That's why you're gonna do it. Simple trade. My father…for Laurel." Helena said as Will crawled into the room and stuck to the dark lighting of the doorway. He slowly and carefully crawled along the ceiling and stuck one of four fire extinguishers to the ceiling with his adhesive. He then slowly moved around and webbed another to the ceiling and lowered the other two to the ground. Will looked around for something to help and saw a fire alarm on the far wall and decided to put his plan into motion. "You have one hour. Tick tock."

Before Helena could hang up, Will shot out an adhesive line and pulled the fire alarm causing the loud noise and lights to go off.

"Who tripped the alarm?!" Helena shouted as she dropped the phone and held her crossbow at the ready.

"I don't know!" one of her men replied. Will yanked the nozzle off of one of the fire extinguishers and unleashed a cloud of vapor that hit the mercenaries and Helena, obscuring their vision. He fired his web line at the other fire extinguisher nozzle on the ceiling and yanked it off, causing more vapor to come out and obscure view in the room.

Will fired a line at the extinguishers on the floor and yanked the nozzles off, causing the sudden pressure to launch them across the room like missiles as they slammed into two of the mercenaries and knocked them out. Will fired another adhesive line at one of the mercenaries and stuck him to the wall and dropped to the ground in a crouch. He flipped forward, touched one of the mercs in the chest and stunned him with a bio-electric shock and then did a leg sweep. Will stomped on the gun and kicked him into the wall and stuck him there with adhesive. He shot a line at one of the mercs guns and yanked it away before whipping it around and knocking them in the face. Will then did a double front jump kick and sent the two of them flying into the wall and knocked them out. Will finished it by shooting a line at a chair and hurled it at Helena, knocking her to the ground and then shot a line and yanked her crossbow away.

It all happened in the span of a minute as the vapor from the fire extinguishers dissipated and the hostages saw all the bad guys dealt with and some hooded man had saved them. Laurel looked and saw it wasn't the Arrow, the hoodie wasn't green. The mysterious savior moved over and knelt next to a group of hostages which was Emily, Aria, and Spencer. Aria and Emily looked and saw Wills' face underneath the hoodie. He winked at them as they smiled in joy when Aria saw Helena get back up and reach for a gun causing Will's spider sense to go off.

"Behind you!" Aria shouted as Helena grabbed the gun and aimed it at him. Will quickly turned and shot a blast in her face, obscuring her vision as she tried to yank the goop off. Will then spun on his hand and kicked her in the chest using too much force and sent her flying out of the window.

"SHIT!" Will shouted as he ran to the window and shot a line at her leg, saving her from the fall as she dangled in the air. Will attached the line to the side of the building and fired another line at her, wrapping her up for the police. "Oh, dear god."

Will exhaled in relief as he was glad he didn't accidently kill anyone. He then saw the Arrow and the woman in black run over and saw Helena tied up and some guy in a hoodie by the window. Will then heard the door to the room slam open and the SCPD marched in with their guns out.

"SCPD, freeze!" The lead SWAT officer shouted as they aimed their guns around and then aimed at Will. "HANDS UP NOW!"

Will acted and jumped out of the window as the officer fired at him, the bullets whizzing through the air. Will fell through the air in a flip and landed on the ground in a stylistic crouch with no harm. He looked up and saw the Arrow and Woman in Black looking at him but because of how his hoodie was positioned and the lighting, they couldn't see his face. Will heard more cops coming so he had to act fast and jumped onto the side of the building and stuck to it to everyone's amazement. He then ran alongside the building as the news cameras filmed him in action. Will ran alongside the building and then jumped off, sailing through the air and over to the building across the street but didn't jump far enough. He fell through the air and shot a line at a building and swung through the air like he did in the gym with the bannister.

"AHHH!" Will shouted as he was heading straight for a building, so he grabbed hold of the line with his free hand and shot a line at another building and swung away, saving himself from going splat. He swung through the air as all nearby bystanders and news crew watched in amazement at what they were seeing. Will did the same thing where he grabbed the line with his free hand to shoot another line and began swinging through the city to get somewhere safe and isolated.

"What the hell was that?" The Canary asked.

"I don't know." The Arrow replied as they made their exit.

Will eventually got someplace safe and isolated with no cameras, put his adhesive device in his pocket, and threw his sweatshirt into the sewer. The police would be looking for someone in that hoodie. Will then made his way back to campus as Aria texted him that the cops were on full alert and looking for him. He couldn't risk coming back so they'd meet him at his room. Will reluctantly texted back ok because he wanted to go there and make sure they were ok, but he didn't know if the cops or anyone there would recognize him.

Will took a taxi back to campus and went back to his room. He took out his adhesive device and smiled, it worked in the field excellently and swinging from the buildings was terrifying but awesome and exhilarating. Will heard someone knock on his door so he put the device on his desk and opened his door to see Aria and Emily.

"Oh, thank god." Will said as they walked in and hugged him. Will hugged back with a sigh of relief that his best friends were safe. "I was so worried."

"Not as worried as we were." Aria said as she held onto Will as tight as she could. "You saved us."

"Always." Will said as he looked at Emily and Aria. "You're my best friends. I'd do anything for you guys."

Emily and Aria smiled and hugged Will, thinking the same. The three of them were thick and thieves and nothing would change that. "Guess your powers finally came in handy after all?" Emily joked causing them to laugh.

"Ahem." They heard as they saw Spencer standing there in the hall with her arms crossed.

"Spencer." Aria said as they were confused as to why she was here and hoped it wasn't because of Will.

"Hey, Spencer." Emily said with a small wave.

"Spencer, what are you doing here?" Will asked.

"Probably the same thing they are…thanking the guy who saved my life." Spencer said as Will felt his stomach drop.

"Uh…then you'll want to thank the police because I didn't do anything. I'd been here all day." Will said as Spencer raised an eyebrow and brushed past them as she walked into his room. "By all means, walk right in."

"So, you've been here all day?" Spencer asked as she looked around his room to see it was littered with science books and notes.

"Yeah, I've been working on a project." Will said as Spencer turned around and held up his adhesive device. Will looked and saw she must have picked it up from his desk. "That is a…very unique looking watch."

"With a trigger device?" Spencer asked as she pressed the trigger hard and it shot out a line to the wall.

"That's just a coincidence." Will replied.

"I know it was you in that hoodie, Will. I've seen you wear it enough times to recognize you even with that cloud of smoke." Spencer said as Will began to get nervous. "You know, I have noticed something different with you the past few months since the holidays. How the usual meek and short Will Detmer shot up three inches and changed physique. Plus, how secretive you three have been. Although I wasn't expecting you to turn into a copycat vigilante."

"I'm not a copycat vigilante. I'm not even a vigilante. Tonight, was a one-time thing because you guys were in danger." Will told her.

"Will, come on. You were amazing tonight. Maybe this is why you have these powers." Aria told her.

"Powers? How did that happen?" Spencer asked.

"It's a long and complicated story. Look, I don't think now is a good time to get into this considering that my roommate could be back at any minute." Will said and to his word, his roommate walked in.

"Whoa, babe alert. I didn't know you had it in you Detmer." He said as Will sighed in exhaustion and rubbed his forehead.

"And that's the answer to why I'm not close with my college roommate. Look, how about we talk about this tomorrow. Tonight, I could use some sleep." Will told them.

"All right, we'll meet for breakfast at 9." Emily said.

"I'll be there as well." Spencer said as Will sighed.

"Fine. We'll meet tomorrow." Will said as they nodded. "I'm glad you guys are safe though."

"Thanks, Will." Emily said as she, Aria, and Spencer left.

"Aw, what'd you do that for? The party was just starting." His roommate said as he looked at Will. "Seriously, dude. How did you do it?"

Will just sighed and got ready for bed, dreading tomorrow and the conversation he'd have with Spencer now that she knew he changed and that he saved them. He was ok with Aria and Emily knowing what happened because he trusted them, but Spencer was now the wild card. They weren't enemies, but he didn't know her. Aria and Emily liked her, but could he handle a third person knowing what happened to him.

Will woke up the next day wearing jeans and red button up and met Aria, Emily, and Spencer at the dining hall for breakfast. The four got a seclude table in the corner so they could talk. They all sat down together in a moment of awkwardness as they slowly ate their food. Will picked at his cereal as Aria sipped her coffee, Emily took a small bite of her muffin and Spencer ate an orange.

"So…you said we could talk in the morning. What's going on?" Spencer asked as Will took a deep breath.

"It's kind of long story and I'm not sure you'd believe it." Will said as Spencer looked at him.

"Try me." She said as Will began explaining everything that happened since the Particle Accelerator explosion. The spider bite, his body transformation and how he got his powers and how Aria and Emily are the only people who know what happened to him. He explained how he's been looking out for any more changes but other than the hundreds of tests he ran on himself, he seemed to be fine at the moment and no other changes were going in.

Spencer took a moment to absorb all this new information as she looked at them. "So…you changed and managed to save us from a crossbow wielding lunatic because of a radioactive spider bite."

"It wasn't radioactive. I've literally tested myself dozens of times with the mass spectrometer and even with a Geiger counter in the physics lab, I'm no more radioactive than a typical male my age." Will told her. "But now you know the truth…the truth that only the people at this table know."

"Just us. What about your mother?" Spencer asked as Will shook his head no. "How have you kept this a secret? I mean, didn't she notice how you changed?"

"Yeah, she did, and I managed to avoid it as best as I could. Last semester the last time she saw me was parents weekend in September, so I told her that Emily got my into a steady workout routine and that how I changed and grew. And I told her that Aria got me some prescription contacts. She doesn't know." Will told her.

"Why not?" Spencer asked.

"Because I don't want her to worry anymore than she needs to. If she found out what happened to me, she would drive herself into the ground in worry. I can't do that to her, she's been through enough. Please, Spencer, you can't tell anyone about this." Will begged her as Spencer nodded.

"Yeah, sure. I promise." She said as Will sighed in relief. "I just can't imagine what you've been through the past few months. So many questions. How did you do it?"

"Well, I have a very good support group." Will said as he looked at Aria and Emily who smiled. "Thank you, Spencer. I know you don't know me, but I really appreciate you keeping this a secret."

"I know we might have a bit of a rivalry but I'm not evil enough to do that to someone I barely know. Besides…" Spencer looked at Emily and Aria. "if Spencer and Emily trust you then it's enough for me."

"Thank you, Spencer. To be honest, I was more afraid of how today would turn out." Will said.

"Why?" She asked as Will got nervous.

"Because we don't really know each other and…" Will struggled to find the words which Aria saw, and she decided to have a little fun.

"And because Will's afraid of you." Aria said as Will and Spencer looked at each other.

"Excuse me?" Spencer asked.

"It's not at all how it sounds." Will told her.

"Oh, it's exactly how it sounds. Will told me himself when he mentioned you. Spencer who's in the same biology class is just as smart as he is and is very competitive and that she scares him." Aria said as Will glared at her, basically throwing him under the bus.

"You think I'm scary?" Spencer asked as Will gulped a bit.

"Not scary like serial killer scary…more like your kind of wound tight and I'm afraid you'd hit me if you get angry, scary." Will said as he began to sweat.

"I'm not scary. Am I?" Spencer asked Emily and Aria.

"A little." Emily replied as Spencer just gave her a look causing Aria to laugh and Will to sigh in relief that he wasn't dead. In that moment, their little circle of trust expanded and a new friend was made.

Line Break xxxxx

 **May 2014-Starling City**

It was the end of Will's first year of college and he was proud of it. He did excellent, pulling in all A's for his classes despite Will using his spare time to research his powers. Aria and Emily were doing fine as well with Will's help and surprisingly enough Spencer's. After their conversation and Spencer knowing the truth about Will, she became the fourth member of their group. It surprised Will because he thought she didn't like him but it turns out she was just a little jealous he was smarter that her. Granted, Will had an IQ of 250 so it was kind of hard to compete with that. But the two soon became friends although now Will felt like he needed to add a guy friend to the group because he was way outnumbered. But the guys at school were assholes so it was slim pickings.

Will, Aria, Emily, and Spencer took a bus to the city to hang out before they went their separate ways for summer break. Will managed to get an internship at Queen Consolidated in their R&D department. Emily was heading to Florida for an Olympic sponsored Athletic camp and workshop while Aria and Spencer were staying in Starling City. Aria had an internship at Kingsley Limited, a fashion and print media empire founded and run by Roderick Kingsley. Spencer had an internship at the DA's office. They decided to head into the city to celebrate before they all went to their internships. It started with some dinner followed by a movie.

"I still have to say that movie was ok. I don't get why everyone was hyping it up so much." Will said.

"Oh, come on, Will that was great. Way better than the old sci-fi movies you make us watch." Aria said.

"I have to agree with Aria on that one." Spencer added.

"But without my old sci-fi movies, you wouldn't have whatever _Divergent_ was. And that was based on a book too?" Will asked as they nodded. "I kind of wish we saw _The Grand Budapest Hotel_ instead."

"I thought you weren't a fan of Wes Anderson?" Spencer asked, knowing a little more about Will ever since they became friends.

"Not really but something tells me it would have been a little more interesting." Will said as Emily chuckled and hooked his arm.

"Come on, Mr. Film critic. Let's get some dessert." She said as they walked down the street to get ice-cream. As they walked down the street, Will saw one of the campaign posters for Alderman Blood, or now Mayor Blood. He won the race after Moira Queen was killed by someone named Slade Wilson. God only knows how Oliver and Thea were handling it. Will knew Thea Queen…everyone knew who she was, but he went to high school with her. She was ok…in high school, she was like the other girls who often left him alone or gossiped behind his back until it came to the point where they needed his help to pass science. Will was the only reason she did but he whatever his feelings he still felt bad for her. He knew what it was like to lose a parent.

Will's phone rang and saw it was his mother. "Hey, mom." Will said.

" _Hey, Will. How's everything?"_ She asked.

"Everything's fine. Just finished watching a movie with the girls. We're about to head out for some dessert." Will said. "What about you?"

" _I just finished up work for the night. Thank god I got out before the hour hit double digits. I don't remember the last time I got out of the hospital before 9 o'clock."_ She joked as Will chuckled.

"Well, as a treat I'll pick up a pint of mint chocolate chip for you on the way home." Will said as she heard her chuckle.

" _I have raised you well."_ She replied when all of a sudden, Will heard an explosion and gun shots followed by people screaming. Will and the girls ducked as they saw helicopters fly above and the faint glow of fires in the distance.

"What the hell is going on?" Will asked as he heard sirens in the distance.

" _Will?! Will, can you hear me?!"_ She shouted.

"Yeah, mom I hear you." Will told her. "Something's going on."

" _Will, I want you off the streets, do you hear me?"_ She told him.

"We're too far from campus and home is on the other side of the city." Will said as he looked at the street signs and saw they were maybe a few blocks away from Starling City Police Department. "Mom, how far are you from the Starling City Metro Police station?"

" _A few blocks."_ She said.

"Ok. We'll meet there at the police station. Something tells me it'll be safe. Be careful. I love you." Will said.

" _I love you too, Will."_ She said as they hung up.

"What the hell is going on?" Aria asked as they were all scared about what was happening.

"I don't know. Come on. Let's head to the police station." Will said as they began making their way through the city. The city was in chaos from whatever the hell was going on. It wasn't another earthquake so maybe it was a terrorist attack. They needed to get off the streets fast.

"Help! Someone help! Please, someone help!" They heard as Will saw a burning building a mother and son crying for help.

"Will!" he heard as he saw his mother run up to him and hugged him with all her strength. "Thank god you're ok."

"Please someone help! My daughter's in there. I couldn't get to her!" The woman said as she tried to go inside but a huge fiery explosion kept her back.

A police car then drove up to them and an officer stepped out. "Please someone help!" The mother shouted as Will acted and ran inside the fiery hell.

"WILL!" Emily shouted as his mother tried to go after him but Aria and Spencer kept her back.

"KID!" The officer shouted as he got on the radio to call for backup. "Delta Charlie 52 to Central, copy!"

Will ran through the fiery blaze and covered his mouth as best he could. He heard some shouting on the second floor and jumped onto the railing and pulled himself up. He ran into the room and saw the woman in black with a kid but they were trapped in the corner from a fallen support beam.

"What are you doing here?!" She shouted as Will took off his sweatshirt and covered his hands with it. He ran over to the support beam and lifted it, shouting in pain from the heat.

"HURRY!" Will shouted as he lifted the beam out of the way and the woman in black carried the child through the blaze and to the door. Will dropped the beam as he followed the woman back to the front door when his spider sense went off and he saw the roof caving in. "LOOK OUT!"

Will ran forward and pushed the woman in black and the child out the front door and onto the sidewalk as the roof came down in a fiery blaze and the building collapsed.

"NOOO!" Will's mom shouted as Aria, Spencer, and Emily held their mouths in shock as tears dropped from their eyes.

"Delta Charlie 52 to Central, I need Fire and Rescue at my location now!" Officer Lance shouted as Laurel helped the Canary up when she heard coughing. She looked and saw the kid was trapped under some rubble.

"DAD!" Laurel shouted as Officer Lance looked and saw the kid was alive.

"HELP! Someone, please help me!" Will shouted as he was trapped under the rubble. He was in pain, having a building collapse on him but he didn't feel anything broken.

"WILL!" He heard as he managed to look up and saw his friends and mother rush over to move some of the rubble off but there was so much and it was hotter than hell.

"Hang on, kid!" Lance shouted as he, Laurel, and the woman in black helped as well, moving some rubble out of the way. Lance grabbed a large pole and put it under some rubble and attempted to leverage some of the heavier pieces off but the building must have weighed a ton. "Dammit, this thing must weigh a ton!"

"Please, help me!" Don't leave me!" Will shouted in fright as Laurel looked at him.

"Don't worry, we're not leaving you. What's your name?" She asked as Will looked at her.

"Will. Will Detmer." He said as Laurel smiled.

"Don't worry, Will. We're gonna get you out of here!" She said as she helped Will's friend move some rubble out of the way when part of the rubble began to shift.

"Stop! We move anymore and it could crush him!" The Canary told them as Will felt helpless for the first time in a long time and began panicking.

He tried to push the rubble off of his but it was too heavy and he didn't have the strength. "Come on!" Will shouted as he tried to move but couldn't. He looked up and saw a destroyed spider web and a small spider crawl out of the blazing inferno in a hurry. In that moment, Will flashbacked to the last couple of months ever since he got his powers and how much it had changed it. He had changed physically but the one thing the bite didn't do was change who he was. He looked back on the time he saved Aria and Emily from the muggers and when he saved the hostages from the Huntress. He acted because he wanted to help his friends and because he could. It reminded him of a saying his dad use to always tell Will when he was asked why he was an FBI agent. _When you have the chance to make a difference but you don't…and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you. Doing nothing is worse than not doing anything at all. At least with doing something, you have the chance to make a difference._

At that moment, Will was filled with a new sense of confidence and purpose. "Come on, Will. You can do this. Come on, Will!" Will shouted as he took a deep breath and began pushing off the ground. The mound of rubble on his back began to creak and rumble as it was being lifted off the ground. Will dug deep into himself and managed to push himself off the ground. "AAAARRRGGGGHHHH!"

Will shouted at the top of his lungs as the pile of rubble began to move up and everyone stepped back and witnessed something impossible. The rubble had to weigh at least a ton and the kid was somehow able to lift it up. Will managed to lift enough and got to his feet. He used his hands and lifted the rubble up over his head and then with a mighty roar and shove, he pushed it behind him.

Will fell forward as he struggled to catch his breath from the immense pain and exhaustion his body underwent. Lance and Laurel grabbed Will and dragged him away from the rubble as the Canary looked at him and still couldn't believe what she saw. His mother and friends were coddling him and checking him for any cuts and bruises, happy that he was alive.

"How did the kid do that?" Lance asked.

"I'm not sure. Guess it was a miracle." Laurel said as he nodded. He helped Will up and put them in his squad car and drove to the precinct. They walked into the precinct as Lance showed them a lounge room where Will, his mother, and his friends could stay and be safe. They sat in some chairs as Laurel walked over with a med kit and some water.

"Thank you." May replied as she took the med kit and began cleaning some of Will's cuts and bruises.

"Don't mention it. If you guys need anything, we'll be next door." Laurel said as she left.

"Girls, could you give me a moment alone with my son?" May asked as the girls nodded.

"Come on. Let's go call our parents and let them know we're ok." Spencer said as they gave Will and his mother some time alone. There was a brief moment of silence as May finished cleaning a cut on Will's face.

"So…do you want to tell me what's been going on with you?" May asked as Will looked at her. "Or should I interpret your superhuman feat today as the reason you've been acting weird since December?"

"I didn't want you to worry." Will told her.

"Well, too bad I'm very worried and disappointed in you, Alexander." May said as Will knew he was in trouble. His mother only called him by his middle name when she was pissed. "I thought there was an understanding in this family that we don't keep secrets from each other. I'm your mother; I'm supposed to make sure your safe."

"And what's my job?" Will asked. "It's to make sure that you don't have to worry about me. You've had more than enough on your plate and I didn't want you to kill yourself in worry over nothing."

"Nothing? Will, you lifted a ton of rubble off your body which is humanely impossible. People can lift cars with adrenaline but to do what you did, you'd need to be forklift or a crane to do that. What happened to you?" May asked as Will sighed.

"The Particle Accelerator explosion from Central City. I was bit by a spider when the reactor exploded. It's why I'm so different. Why I don't need glasses, why my body changed and why I was able to do what I just did." Will told her as she absorbed all this new information. "The changes in physique aren't the only things that changed with me. I have other…abilities as well."

"Spencer, Aria, and Emily know this?" May asked as Will nodded.

"Yeah. Aria and Emily noticed at first and I told Spencer after…" Will stopped himself.

"After what?" May asked as Will didn't speak. "William Alexander Detmer, do not make me ask again."

"After I saved them from the Huntress the day the courthouse was attacked." Will told her.

"That was you?" May asked as Will nodded. "How…how did you do that?"

"I'm a lot more than super strong, but you don't have to worry. I've spent months researching my powers and abilities and I'm fine." Will said.

"Fine? Will, what you can do isn't fine, it's not natural. After this is over, I'm taking you to the hospital and we're having a specialist look at you." May told him.

"Unless that specialist is also a physicist who built a gene splicer from the future, there isn't a specialist that can look at me, mom." Will told her.

"This is no time for jokes, Alexander. Take this seriously." May said as Will looked at her.

"I am taking this seriously, mom. Just because I joke doesn't mean I'm not completely terrified about what happened to me." Will said as he stood up. "And the reason I never told you or went to the hospital was to save myself the look you're giving me."

"What look?" May asked.

"The look of like I'm a freak, ok? Like I'm some kind of weird laboratory experiment I cooked up in the lab and no longer your son." Will told her. "You think you're having a hard time with this then imagine how I must feel? I barely recognized myself in the mirror. I feel like a stranger in my own body. I've studied science my entire life and everything that I can do is scientifically impossible. I can jump 30 feet into the air like it's nothing, I ran a mile in 2 minutes, I stick to walls like I'm a gecko, I can take the gold in gymnastics without even breaking a sweat and to top it off I can stun a guy just by touching him."

May listened as Will was just as afraid of what was going on as she was…probably more. "I spent thousands of hours in the lab to figure out what was going on with me. Months worrying if I would grow extra arms, six extra eyes on my head or spin webs out of my ass along with me being possibly radioactive and endangering Aria and Emily. If I went to the hospital, I know exactly what would happen to me. I would be stuck in a padded cell while doctors and scientists watched behind one-way glass as they poked and prodded me or worse, the military would dissect me to figure out how I can do what I can and try and replicate it." Will told her, getting out all the built up stress, anxiety and feelings he's had about this. "I can't imagine how worried you must have been mom…but not as much as I was."

"Oh my baby." May said as she got up and hugged him tight as Will hugged back.

"I'm so sorry." Will said as he buried his face into the hug.

"It's ok. We'll get through this together." May said they heard a knock and saw Spencer standing by the door.

"Sorry to interrupt but there's something you should see." Spencer said as Will and May followed her into the main room where a bunch of the officers were gathered around a TV and watching the news about military movement on the outskirts of the city.

"What's going on?" Will asked.

" _We're watching live footage of an army convoy arriving on the outskirts of the city to restore order."_ The news reporter said as they showed military trucks and vehicles and men armed with guns.

"Looks like the cavalry's here, finally." Lance said.

"Maybe." Lieutenant Pike said.

"What do you mean?" Lance asked.

"Well, they're taking up positions in the bridges and tunnels." Pike said.

"Well, those are the only ways into the city." Lance said.

"Yeah, and the only ways out." Sara said.

"A buddy of mine in military intelligence once told me the army isn't always the army." Pike said.

"But it's clearly the military. The trucks, the uniforms." Laurel said.

"Except the nearest army base is at Monument Point which is 300 miles from here." Pike said.

"There's no way they could have gotten here that fast unless they knew something was going to happen." Spencer said.

"Ok. So, if that isn't the army, who the hell are they?" Lance asked.

"Maybe we can find out." Will said as Lance looked at him. "Do you have a radio?"

"Yeah." Lance said as he pointed to the desk and Will walked over and began messing with it. "What are you doing?"

"Whoever they are, they're using RF frequencies to communicate. All radio frequencies can be tuned into if you have radio broadcast equipment powerful enough. And police radios are pretty powerful." Will said as he began scanning the radio networks for a match.

"If it's the military, it'll most likely be encoded." Lance told him.

"This is why I'm asking your permission to break the encryption once I find it, Officer Lance." Will said as he looked at him. "It's something that could be considered hacking."

"Dad, we need to know what's going on." Laurel told him as he nodded.

"Do what you can." Lance said as Will nodded.

"I'll need whatever computer equipment you have." Will said as Lance nodded and had one of his officers get Will everything he needed. Will patiently scanned the networks one by one to find an encrypted broadcast. He plugged a laptop into the radio and opened up a command prompt and began coding an x-axis algorithm to decipher an encrypted database.

Will scanned the radio frequencies as he was in full on science mode and his friends, mother, Sara, and Laurel watched. "Does he know what he's doing?" Sara asked.

"He does. Will's the smartest person I know. He can handle science and technology in his sleep with ease. He can do this." Emily said as Will tuned the radio to 84.398 and found an encrypted frequency.

"I think I found it." Will said as he heard garbled talk over the radio. "I just need to run my decryption algorithm and it should let us at least listen in on their broadcasts."

"He's as good with computers as a certain someone I know." Lance said as he looked at Will work. "You want a job, kid?"

"Maybe after college." Will said as he program was nearly finished with the decryption. "I got it."

Everyone looked at him as they heard the garbed transmission come over clean as daylight. _"This is ARGUS unit 17. Position taken up at Halden Bridge. Bridge secured and awaiting further orders. Roger that unit 17. Stand by for instructions. All Argus units, initiate containment protocol 295. All bridges and tunnels are on lockdown. Nothing leaves the city."_ The radio played as everyone listened.

"What the hell is Argus?" Will asked.

"Not sure." Lance asked.

"Containment protocol?" Laurel asked.

"They're keeping those things from leaving the city." Lance said as he looked at Will. "Stay on that thing and let me know if something happens."

"I'm on it." Will said as Lance went to talk to his men about their orders in the field and to be careful fighting against these men. Radio transmissions came over the radio from a unit in the field and it didn't sound good. Will manned the radio as he helped the police technician and kept an ear on what was going on with that military group.

Hours flew by as it seemed like things were calm and contained at the precinct and they were safe. Other police squads were sent out to try and escort civilians to safety while Detective Lance organized his men and coordinated with the other precincts. He hadn't seen Laurel in a while so he went to go find her when Will's Spider Sense went off like crazy and heard the sounds of gunshots and cops screaming.

"Contact!" One of the officers shouted as they opened fire into the hallway.

"Come on!" Will shouted as he grabbed his mom and the girls and took them back to the safe room they were in before. "Stay here!"

"Will, wait—"His mother was cut off as Will closed the door and locked it. He ran back into the room to see a man in a black and orange mask take down several police officers before Detective Lance pulled out his gun to defend Laurel.

"Stop right there! Don't take one more step! One more step!" Lance warned him as he did and Lance shot him four times in the chest and he barely flinched. The man grabbed Lance and threw him across the room. He then grabbed Laurel and that's when Will acted. He didn't know what came over him but he acted.

"Hey!" Will shouted as he charged forward and did a jump kick and kicked the man in the face and sent him flying across the room and crashing into a desk. Laurel ran over to her father and helped him up as the man got back up but instead he focused his attention back on Laurel. "Hey, Halloween, focus on me!"

Will ran forward as the man swung his arm to knock Will back but Will ducked under his swipe and punched him in the gut with enough force that it actually hurt him. The man threw out more punches and kicks that Will all ducked and dodged thanks to his Spider Sense and agility. Will then flipped over the man with ease and kicked him in the back with enough force to send him flying out the window.

Will took a few breaths before walking over to Laurel when he stopped because his spider sense went off big time. Something really bad was coming. Will heard a rattling sound and looked down to see what looked like a small cannister before it exploded in a loud blast of light and high-pitched sound, a flashbang grenade.

"ARGH!" Will shouted as he was concussed by the blast. He couldn't see straight and all he heard was a loud ringing. He saw the outline of someone before he was kicked in the chest and sent flying back into a wall. Will hit the ground as he shook his head and his vision and hearing were coming back. He looked and saw some guy in armor with a black and orange mask and a katana on his back. He looked up and saw the man grab Laurel by the arm and drag her away. "Hey, Last Samurai!"

Will charged forward as the man unsheathed his sword and swiped but Will slid on his knees and leaned back. Will spun on his knees and kicked out one of his legs before hooking his legs onto the guy's neck and did a scissor leg throw and threw him across the ground. Will spun into a crouch as Laurel looked at him.

"GO!" Will shouted as Laurel ran and the guy got back to his feet.

"I was going to let you live." The man said as he spun his sword on his hand. "Now, you're going to pay the price for being a hero."

"How about you bill me later?" Will asked as the man charged forward and swung his sword with skill and grace but Will ducked and dodged all of his attacks. Will leaned back to avoid a sword slash to the chest and then did a one-handed back hand spring into an expert butterfly spin and landed on the wall. Will then did a forward moving back flip and kicked the guy in the chest, catching him by surprise and knocking him back a bit. Will landed in a crouch as the man was fairly impressed with the kid's skill.

Will backflipped to avoid a leg swipe and then immediately rolled forward to avoid a sword stab as he threw out a kick but the man in the mask caught his leg. Will then spun his body and kicked the guy in the face and knocked him back. Will flipped back to his feet as the man threw a knife at him but Will limbo leaned back, and the knife flew over him and hit the wall. Will leaned back up and the man shoulder charged Will and tackled him into the wall. He kneed Will in the gut and threw him over his shoulder and onto the ground. Will groaned in pain as the man pointed his sword at Will's face.

"Nice effort, kid. But you picked the wrong night to be a hero." The man in the mask said as he raised his sword up to kill him, but Lance raised his gun and shot him in the back. Will rolled out of the way as Lance hit him in the back but his armor blocked the bullets. The man dropped another flashbang and concussed Will and Detective Lance. The pain and ringing subsided and they saw the man in the mask was gone.

"Who the hell was that?" Will asked.

"The man behind all this." Lance said as he walked over and helped Will back to his feet. "Thanks. Where's Laurel?"

"I told her to run." Will said as Lance walked away to find her and Will walked over to the locked room. He unlocked it and his mom and friends came running to him, hugging him and calling him stupid for doing that.

"What happened?" Emily asked.

"Masked nutcases and guy with a sword. Long story. They were after Laurel." Will told them as Lance came over.

"She's gone. They've taken her." Lance said.

"Ok, what do we do?" Will asked as Lance took out a gun and handed it to him.

"You are going to stay here with them and stay safe. I have officers on the way back to secure the precinct. I'm going after Laurel." Lance said.

"I'll go with you." Will said as Lance shook his head no.

"Sorry, kid. You've got some fancy moves but leave this to me. I've got some friends who can help. You've done enough." Lance said as he pats Will on the shoulder and left.

They stayed behind as officers soon showed up to help treat the wounded and secure the precinct as best they could but reports indicated that all the masked men were moving to one of the tunnels. Will helped clean up but he felt bad not being able to do more. He heard over the radio how these masked men were taking down the police with ease but he was able to fight one of them with ease and he kicked his ass. Granted, the sword guy was a different story, but Will felt like he had to help. Soon enough, reports came in from Detective Lance in the field that all the masked men were taken down and in custody with the assistance of the Arrow.

Afterward, the police moved out into the city to restore order and keep people safe. The masked men might have been dealt with but who knows what other criminals would do with the opportunity. Lieutenant Pike called in the National Guard for assistance with Mayor Blood dead so he was now one of the high-ranking officials in charge. Will, his mother and his friends were given a ride back home by a police officer. Aria, Spencer, and Emily would stay there for the night and head back to campus first thing in the morning to get their stuff. Will looked out into the city from his bedroom window and saw that despite the masked men being arrested, the city still needed help.

"Will?" Will turned to see his mom walked over as she looked out into the city. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…I feel bad not being able to help." Will said.

"Will, you can't do anything." May told him.

"Except I can. I should be out there helping keep this city safe." Will told her.

"Will…where is this coming from?" May asked as Will sighed and sat down in a chair.

"Tonight…and the nights before. Because I've been me my whole life. The short meek science nerd who was picked on and couldn't help anyone unless it was to pass a test. And now I'm different. I've spent months figuring out what I can do and why this happened to me." Will said as he looked at his mother. "I know out of you and dad, you were the one who was always more into the idea of faith, destiny, and god. Which I'm sure I aggravated you with my talks on science."

May actually managed a chuckle at Will's tangent. "But maybe…what happened to me wasn't an accident." Will told her.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"The chances of something like this happening to a geeky science nerd from Starling City who just happened to be at the Particle Accelerator is ridiculous. And I know how crazy it must sound to come from me of all people but maybe…it was meant to happen." Will said. "Maybe this was my destiny."

"Will, you can't possible know that." May said.

"I know, I know. But if this happened to any other person, then who knows what they would do. They'd be robbing banks or using their skills to get rich but it happened to me." Will said. "Dad used to always say that when you have the chance to make a difference but you don't and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you. Doing nothing is worse than not doing anything at all. At least with doing something, you have the chance to make a difference."

"Your father always believed it was his duty to help people if he could." May said. "With great power comes great responsibility."

"And I have that power. Maybe it's time for me to use it responsibly and help people, like the Arrow does." Will said.

"Like a vigilante? Will, that's insane." May said.

"Not like a vigilante, I could be something better. A hero." Will said as he looked out into the city.

"Will…I thought I almost lost you tonight when you went into that building. I lost your father and now you want to go out there and get yourself killed." May said.

"But I came back. That's more than I can say for those that didn't make it tonight." Will said as he rubbed his forehead, knowing how crazy this was but he felt that he should do something. "Mom, look I know how this sounds but I feel like I should do something. I have all these powers and I've done nothing."

"Not nothing, Will. You stick to your plans, graduate college and you help people with your brain." May said as Will sighed. "Look, it's been a long and stressful night. Why don't you go to bed and we can talk about this tomorrow."

"All right." Will nodded as May walked over and hugged him as Will hugged back. "I love you, mom."

"Love you too." She said as she kissed him on the cheek and walked out of his room. Will looked out the window into the city and for the first time in the longest time felt conflicted as to what to do. He felt he should try and help people. His powers made it so that he was more prepared to fight bad guys than any normal person. He was able to take down that masked guy when the police couldn't. But he also realized how crazy this sounds as well. And the police wouldn't exactly be big fans of another guy taking the law into his own hands.

"What the hell am I thinking?" Will asked himself as he rubbed his forehead.

"Anything you want to talk about?" He heard as he saw Emily walk in wearing a tank top and shorts.

"I thought you guys were asleep?" Will asked.

"Aria and Spencer are." Emily said as she walked over to him. "I couldn't fall asleep and overheard you and your mom."

"Guess you think I'm crazy for even suggesting this." Will said as he looked at her.

"Crazy isn't the word I would use." Emily replied. "You really want to go out there as a vigilante?"

"No, of course not Em. I'm not going to wear a cape, deepen my voice and drive around in a tank." Will sighed. "It's just…I feel like I should be doing more than just nothing. I know how crazy it is to go out there but I have actual super powers. I took down one of those crazed mask guys when the police couldn't and I helped saved that girl from the burning building."

"So you want to go out there and beat up bad guys with your fists?" Emily asked as Will sighed.

"I wouldn't put it like that. If I can help people, then shouldn't I." Will sighed as he sat down on his bed in a huff. "I've never felt this conflicted in my entire life. I'm starting to wish I never got bitten by that stupid spider."

Emily sighed, seeing Will in such a state. She's never seen him this beat up before. "Despite what that spider bite changed, I'm still me." He said.

"And that's a bad thing?" Emily asked.

"Em, I've never been good with this. I've been a loner my entire life and crack jokes and quips to protect myself. The biggest things I ever planned to deal with were trying to land a solid job at a technology company and help my mom. Maybe get a girlfriend who was into the whole lanky nerd thing." Will said as Emily chuckled. "Now, in the span of a few months my whole world changed. I looked at myself in the mirror and I honestly can say I don't recognize myself. My dad always told me that if I could, I should help people but I've never been able to before. And now that I have these powers I feel like I should, but I know in my head how afraid I really am and how it's not me. I honestly wish I was more like you half the time."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked.

"Emily, you're one of the strongest people I know. The courage and fortitude you have when you came out…it's something that most people can't even imagine. You're fearless." Will said to her.

"Will, I'm so not fearless…at all." Emily said. "And I didn't come out of the closet, I fell out…on my face. But I'm out. And whatever else happens, I don't have to worry about it anymore."

"Emily…the second I make a decision about this…my whole world is gonna change." Will told her as she walked over and sat down next to him and held his hand.

"Yeah, it will." Emily said as she looked at him. "Do you wanna hear something funny?"'

"I would love to hear something funny." Will replied.

"When I was trying to talk myself into being interested in boys before I came out…I would look for guys like you." Emily said as Will looked at her.

"Like me how?" Will asked.

"The kind that cares about me more than himself. The kind that helps pulled me onto the stage to sing…because I couldn't do it on my own." Emily told him. "You've done so much for me, Will. And you're not gonna have to go through this by yourself."

"Thanks, Em." Will smiled as she smiled back and leaned on his shoulder, her head in the crook of his neck. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I promise you won't have to find out." She said as she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. "And it might now mean much coming from me…but you're a lot stronger than you think. If you're gonna go out there and help people…you'll be a superhero that this city deserves."

Will looked at his window and saw the skyline of the city. He had made his decision.

Line Break xxxxx

 **July 2014-Starling City**

Starling City was still recovering from what became known as the siege, where masked men terrorized the city and was subsequently saved by the vigilante known as the Arrow. While the masked men were taking care of, criminals used the chaos for their own benefit and were wreaking havoc on the city and its citizens. But the efforts of the Arrow and his cohorts were doing a lot to help with the city's crime rate.

At the moment, a high-speed car chase was going on through the city in the middle of the day as two police cruisers were chasing a car of Los Halcones. The cops were chasing after them and trying to get them to pull over or run them off the road while the Los Halcones were just trying to get away and kill the cops. There were four Los Halcones in the car with the driver driving like a mad man and the other three shooting at the cop cars. The car was driving down Main Street as other cars on the road tried to steer clear from the gunshots and the crazy driver. The car sped up as it neared an intersection and was hell bent on running over some pedestrians until a blue and red blur swung by and moved them out of the way of being road kill. Said blur swung into the air as the sun shined down on him giving people a clear view of what he looked like. The figure was wearing red and black athletic shoes and red sweat pants. He was wearing a long sleeve red shirt and a blue hoodie with a black spider symbol painted on the front and back. He was also wearing a belt with pouches, two devices on his wrists and a mask with goggles on the eye holes. **(1)** This was Spider-man, Starling City's newest Superhero.

"WOOOOOO!" Spider-man did a nose dive through the air and shot out a web line at a building, swinging like a pendulum and flew into the air doing a few flips and spins for flair. He shot out another web line and swung through the city as the Los Halcones saw him chasing them.

"Waste him!" the driver shouted as the others opened fire at him but Spider-man swung and dodged through the air, so they hit nothing. Spider-man shot a line at the roof of the car and pulled himself towards it, landing and sticking to the roof.

"Well, at least you're not texting." Spider-man said as one of the Los Halcones leaned out of the window to shoot at him but Spider-man kicked his gun away and shot a web line at him. "You know the reasons they give for wearing a seat belt?"

Spider-man shot the line at a light post and the gang member was yanked out of the car. "That was one of them!" Spider-man quipped as he flipped off the car's hood and into the back seat, kicking the other gang member out of the passenger window. Spider-man flipped back onto the roof where the Los Halcones in the shotgun seat raised his gun to shoot him, but Spider-man webbed his hand to the roof of the card. "I think it's time we end this! Here's your stop!"

Spider-man flipped onto the hood and yanked the driver out of the seat. He flipped backward and shot out two web lines at buildings and slammed the speeding car onto the front wheels to force it to stop. "ARGH!" Spider-man shouted as he fought the force of the speeding car but the wheels eventually stopped and the car chase was over. Spider-man flipped off the hood and onto the street. "And this is the reason why I don't have a driver's license."

Spider-man shot a web line at a building and swung away as pedestrians took out their phones to take pictures and the cops arrived to take the Los Halcones into custody. "Oh, geez. I'm gonna be late. Spencer and Aria are gonna kill me." Spider-man said as he swung through the city with haste to go meet his friends for lunch.

Spencer and Aria were standing outside a café waiting for Will to show up for lunch. Aria was dressed in a nice pencil dress and business jacket combination while Spencer was dressed in a business suit and skirt. They had been waiting for about 30 minutes for Will to show up. Aria checked her phone to see if Will texted her but nothing except for a text an hour ago saying he'd meet them for lunch.

"Where is he?" Aria asked.

"Probably got held up at the lab." Spencer said.

"ARIA! SPENCER!" They heard as Will ran down the street in boots, jeans, a black t-shirt, and button up with a backpack on. "Sorry, I'm late."

"What happened? Got held up on a project?" Aria asked.

"Not exactly. More of a car related…incident on main street." Will said as they nodded. "Sorry, it took longer than expected."

"No problem. Although, I think it might be a better idea that we get takeout." Spencer said as he nodded, and they quickly grabbed something to go.

"Guys, really I'm so sorry about being late. I know when I told you I was going to be doing this…that I promised it wouldn't interfere with our friendship." Will told them as they walked out of the café with to-go bags. "There's still a learning curve to go with this but I'm getting better."

"Will, we're not mad. Really, we're not. We support you doing this. The city's doing better than it was months ago because of you. People feel safer. And if you have to be late to our lunches every know and then, we understand." Aria said as Spencer nodded.

"You two are amazing." Will said as he hugged them, and they withheld a small blush. "Ok, I'll make it up to you two tonight. We go old school. Peking garden takeout and a movie marathon and my place. You two can pick the movie."

"Oh, nice. We'll be sure to torture you tonight." Spencer said.

"And I'll tough through the torture for you guys." Will said. "Be at my place around 7:30."

"Ok, see you then." Aria and Spencer bid him farewell and went back to work while Will decided to head to the lab. He was heading to SCU because he got a new job working as a lab assistant for some of the science professors at the University. His internship at Queen Consolidated was over because the CEO, Isabel Rochev was killed the night of the siege. Some said she was a fatality of the attack while most think it was because she was involved with Slade Wilson and his army. Suffice it to say, he didn't have an internship anymore, so Will got a job as an assistant at SCU. It was fine as the hours were flexible enough and he was able to swipe some stuff for his web shooters and suit.

Will arrived in the lab and ate his sandwich at his desk. He had half his sandwich in one hand and was jotting down some things in a small notebook. Things like a new improved web formula that was a lot stronger and would last longer along with different adjustments to his web shooters, so he could adjust the web lines they produced. Things from his regular web lines to bullet-shaped web projectiles to even large nets of webbing. He'd have to run some more tests. He was also working on schematics for different web gadgets to aid in fighting like web grenades and something he was calling impact webbing along with new suit designs. The sweats were working for now, but it was hot in the summer. Granted, money and secrecy were still his concern and being a college student didn't give him funds to buy half the stuff and he had to be careful what he skimmed from the university.

Will finished his sandwich, balled up the paper bag and threw it behind his shoulder, sinking it right into a garbage can without even looking. The door to the lab opened so Will quickly put his notebook away in his pocket and saw Dr. Connors walk in with a large crate. Dr. Connors was one of Will's teachers and his college advisor.

"Dr. Connors, need some help?" Will asked as he walked over to help him push the box into the lab.

"Will, I thought you were in the city having lunch?" Dr. Connors asked.

"That was the plan but some police roadblocks and traffic kind of derailed it. So, I just grabbed something and came back." Will said as he pushed the crate in and saw the logo for Smythe Industries, one of the biggest technologies and robotic companies in the world based out of Central City. "What's up with the box?"

"The new equipment we put an order in for finally arrived. Along with the new chemical base for our cross-species genetic work." Dr. Connors said as he opened up the crate to show a large ray-gun type of machine and dozens of vials of a blue colored liquid. The machine was labeled Genetic Sequencing Recombinator and the vials were genetic sequencing RNA dosages, they were required for the Recombinator to operate. "The DNA-Recombinator."

"More like money sucking ray gun, doc. This thing was way expensive." Will told him as Dr. Connors nodded.

"Yes, but Smythe industries gave us a very big discount because they're impressed by my work in genetic therapy and healing. Work that I've been able to progress thanks to you, William." Dr. Connors said as he looked at Will. "Your mind is brilliant. To be honest, I never thought I would never get to witness untapped genius in my lifetime. You have a tremendous gift."

"Aw, you're making me blush, Doc." Will replied.

"I know this wasn't how you planned your summer internship but I'm truly grateful for your work. I know this doesn't pay as much—" "It's all right, Doc. I already love working for you and to be honest, it feels better being here then stuck in a stuffy computer lab wearing business attire. I'm much more free." Will said, spinning so his lab coat bellowed out a bit causing Dr. Connors to laugh. "And I believe in the work we're doing here. It will help a lot of people, including you."

Dr. Connors nodded as he looked down at his right arm which was amputated from the elbow down. Dr. Connors lost in when he was doing a stint with Doctors without borders about ten years ago in Africa. A militia attack took his arm off. His genetic work was something personal.

"Plus, the espresso machine is a nice bonus." Will joked, pointing to the corner where the espresso machine was set up.

"Funding well spent." Dr. Connors joked as he and Will got to unpacking the crate and setting up the DNA-Recombinator in the test lab. As they carried the DNA-Recombinator into the test lab, they missed the vials of RNA sequencing flicker with lightning and a familiar looking orange energy before it disappeared like nothing happened.

Will stayed at the lab for a few more hours to help Dr. Connors set up the test lab. In theory, the Recombinator works by inserting a genetic sample into the genetic sequencing liquid of the person undergoing the test. The DNA-Recombinator would then turn the liquid in a beam of concentrated energy at the subject and the energy would use the genetic sequence to repair cellular damage in the subject's body. With modifications and adjustments, the Recombinator could cure genetic diseases like Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia and even Huntington's disease. There was also a chance it could cure things like Alzheimer's and even cancer. Dr. Connor's work could help a lot of people.

Will helped Dr. Connor's set up the equipment and they'd beginning small tests next week. Dr. Connors left early to go have dinner with his family so Will cleaned up and used that time to mix a batch of web fluid and swipe some parts for his web shooters. Will went back home to his modest two-story house in the suburbs of Starling City. "Hey, mom. I'm home!" Will shouted as he walked inside and took off his shoes at the front door. He hoisted his backpack and saw his mom going over some paperwork at the countertop in the kitchen.

"Hey, Will. How was work today?" May asked as Will walked over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Not too bad. Dr. Connors is excited because the DNA sequencing device he ordered months ago finally arrived." Will told her as he walked over to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"Does that mean you'll be doing tests with that soon?" May asked.

"Maybe. After we run some basic simulations first. Dr. Connors even offered me to be his lab assistant next year and I told him I'd do it." Will said as May smiled.

"Oh, that's great. I know how much you love Dr. Connors and its nice to see you focused again on science instead of your other job." May said as Will sighed. She knew he was Spider-man and while she was no way near happy about it, Will made his mind up. "I still cannot believe you're wearing your old sweats."

Will chuckled when she said that and walked over to kiss her head. "It's slim pickings for superheroes." He told her. "But I saved a lot of people today and since I've been doing this."

"I know, William and I'm proud of you but this is also dangerous." May said as Will nodded and held her shoulders.

"I know, mom. But I made my decision. I was given these powers for a reason, and nothing shy of a time machine can undo that. At least I can do some good with them." Will said as he kissed her forehead and hugged her. "I promise I'll come back in one piece every night."

"You better." May said as she hugged her son.

"Enough about me. How's the promotion, new chief of Radiology?" Will asked as May sighed as she looked over the paperwork she had in front of her.

"If they told me this promotion would include three times more paperwork, I would have stayed a surgeon." May said.

"Hey, mom. You've earned this, ok? The hospital is lucky to have someone like you there. You'll do great. Who knows, maybe Medical Director is in your future." Will suggested.

"If it involves even more paperwork, I'll pass." May joked as Will kissed her head. "So, what are you in the mood for dinner tonight?"

"Actually, Aria and Spencer were gonna come over for dinner. We're gonna do it old school. Peking Garden and a movie. You're welcome to join us." Will said.

"I'll take you up on the takeout but not the movie. Besides, it'll be nice to give you and your girls some alone time." May said with an underlying tone as Will looked at her.

"What does that mean?" Will asked.

"It's just…Aria and Spencer are both lovely girls and you're not the same lanky boy you used to be." May said.

"Wow, that hurt a little bit." Will replied as May chuckled. "Aria and Spencer? That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" May asked. "I know Emily is gay so there's no chance something could happen but Aria and Spencer love spending time with you and something tells me it's not just because you've changed."

"Aria and Spencer are my best friends. I've never looked at them like that and besides…it wouldn't work." Will said.

"Why not?" May asked.

"Because…" Will struggled to find the words in his head. "because…I'm really busy now?"

"Sure, you are." May replied with a wink.

"Ok, I'm done with this conversation. I'll be in my room." Will said as he took his cup of coffee and walked up to his room. He closed the door behind him and put his backpack on his bed and sat at his desk which was littered with spare parts, vials of chemicals and notes and pieces of paper taped around.

Will took his costume out of his backpack and laid it on his bed. He grabbed his belt and his web shooters and sat down at his desk and did some adjustments. He grabbed some of his tools and did some work on his web shooters and replaced the empty cartridges in his belt with full ones. Will tinkered with the nozzle on his web shooters and charged the batteries along with making sure everything else was working fine and replacing what needed to be replaced. He also began working on an adjustment for his web shooters by adding a secondary nozzle on the back of his wrist to fire concentrated web encasing projectiles. He dubbed it _Impact Webbing._ He kept working for another two hours and placed the order for Peking Garden delivery.

Around 7:30, Aria and Spencer arrived at Will's house for dinner having changed into some more comfortable clothes. They knocked on the door and Will's mom let them in.

"Thanks, Mrs. Detmer." Spencer said as she and Aria walked in.

"It's May, Spencer. You, Aria, and Emily have earned the right to use my name after everything you've done for will." May said.

"Where is he?" Aria asked.

"He's in his room." May said.

"We'll get him." Spencer said as she and Aria walked upstairs to his room to see the door slightly open. They opened door and walked in and both girls blushed a bit at what they saw. Will was sitting on the ceiling writing on a notebook so he was upside down. That's not what caused the blush. He was wearing jeans and a very form fitting blue tank top so they could see every defined line and curve of his new muscles and physique. Will was the picture perfect example of eye candy.

"Oh, hey." Will said as he looked up from his notebook and jumped down from the ceiling and landed on his feet. He put his notebook on his desk and grabbed a t-shirt, giving the girls a view of his defined back muscles. "So, you guys ready to go old-school tonight?"

"Uh…yeah…" Aria replied as she and Spencer were still looking at will funny.

"You too, ok?" Will asked as he saw they were looking at his chest and stomach and realized what they were doing. "Oh, my god. Were you two checking me out?"

"What, no? Don't be ridiculous? Why would you say that?" Spencer replied as she moved some hair behind her ear and beat down a blush as Will eyes lit up and he smirked.

"Oh, my god you two were checking me out? What would Emily think about this? Have you two no shame? I feel so exposed." Will joked as he covered himself.

"Oh, shut up." Aria said as she chucked her phone at his head which he easily caught.

"Spencer, you too? You have a boyfriend as well. What would he say if Spencer Hastings was blushing at the sight of another guy? Why he would be downright offended." Will joked.

"If he finds out about this, I'll show you the scary you're so afraid of." Spencer warned him.

"Ok, I'm done. I've had my fun. The food should be here soon." Will said as they made their way over to the living room. The food soon arrived and Will, Aria, and Emily got settled on the couch and watched a movie along with some awesome Chinese food. Aria and Emily decided to watch _the Notebook_ followed by _The Fault in our Stars_. Kind of a weird double feature but the two were enjoying themselves and that was the point of tonight.

The next day, Will was at the lab doing some work on some slides while Dr. Connors was busy getting some stuff set up. Will switched out some slides on a microscope when his phone rang and saw it was Emily.

"Hey, EM. How's Florida treating you?" Will asked.

" _Hotter than hell down here and humid but it's nice. The water down here is amazing. I went with some friends from the program to South Beach and it's incredible."_ Emily told him.

"Nice. Glad you're enjoying yourself. Find anyone special down there?" Will asked.

" _Yeah. Her name's Maya."_ Emily said as Will could tell she was blushing and was happy.

"I'm glad, Em. So, how's the training going? Can I expect to see you at the next Olympics?" Will asked.

" _Maybe. The instructors are great here but there's dozens of people like me who want this just as much as I do."_ Emily said.

"Hey, don't go doubting yourself. You can swim laps around all of them with ease and I know this because I've been to every one of your races. You can do this, Em. You have faith in me, I have faith in you." Will told her.

" _Thanks Will. Guess I just needed a reminder."_ Emily said. " _So, how goes your second job?"_

"So far so good. People love the jokes I crack and bad guys hate me so I must be doing something right. It's working out exactly how I thought." Will told her. "Although wearing the sweats in the summer is kind of brutal."

" _Then maybe you should think of a redesign. Did you see the links I sent you?"_ Emily asked.

"Em, for the last time, I'm not wearing spandex." Will told her.

" _Ok, fine. But maybe you could have Aria sew you something if you get her the material. I mean, you're a genius. Surely you've come up with an alternative by now."_ Emily said.

"Sure but the thing I have to worry about is cost and secrecy. I'd love to have a carbon polymer suit but where am I going to get the money for that? I'm still on a budget. And the university doesn't keep carbon polymer fabric material in the science lab." Will joked. "I'll think of something. Maybe get some nylon or polyester and hope for the best."

" _You'll make it work, Spider-man. You always do. Oh, I got to go. We have another session now."_ Emily said.

"All right. Have fun and tell your parents I said hi." Will said.

" _I will. Bye."_ Emily said as she hung up and Will got back to work. Will took down some notes in the computer about the latest test slide as Dr. Connors wheeled in some splotches of red fabric on a cart into the lab.

"Sewing a new lab coat, Dr. Connors?" Will asked.

"No, Will. Just making some room in storage. These need to be donated." Dr. Connors said as Will nodded and walked over to help him.

"What is this?" Will asked as he picked up a roll of fabric and noted it felt like polyester but seemed more malleable and little more durable.

"Oh, that's something the engineering lab came up with about 10 years ago. A polyester-like fabric that was twice as strong and flexible…almost tear resistant. Those bundles were prototypes. Didn't work but excellent for clothes. They're being donated to the Red Cross. Can you take them down to the loading bay?" Dr. Connors asked.

"Sure thing." Will replied as Dr. Connors nodded and left the room. Once he was gone, Will picked up a bundle and smirked. "How about that, Em? Guess you were right."

Will took a bundle and walked over to the far cabinet. He lifted it off the ground to reveal a small space where he kept extra chemical containers for his web fluid and placed it there before lowering the cabinet back onto the ground and taking the rest of the fabric to the loading bay. Will then went out into the city and did a patrol that resulted in stopping a few robberies, a drug deal, an attempted kidnapping and one very nasty attempted murder. Will then quickly dropped off the material to Aria and asked if she could sew something up in his size but it would take a while.

Will kept at a regular schedule for the summer: work for Doctor Connors, hang out with Aria, Spencer, and Emily once she got back to the city, get ready for his sophomore year of college and kick butt as Spider-man. People were really starting to like him and part of it had to be that he wasn't afraid to out during the day stopping crime. It made people feel safer…and he didn't leave arrows in people.

 **August 2014-Starling City**

Emily was now back in Starling to get ready for school along with Aria, Spencer, and Will, which involved a lot of planning, boxes, and moving. Aria, Emily, and Spencer got a three person dorm room and Will managed to snag a single which worked for him because he couldn't risk a roommate seeing him as Spider-man. Will just finished helping Aria, Spencer, and Emily move into their room and now they were helping him move into his…or more accurately, Emily and Spencer were helping while Aria was lounging on his bed playing with is new prototype web shooters.

Emily and Spencer were hanging some of his clothes in his closet while Will picked up his desk and moved it to the other side of the room. He placed his desk against the wall and moved his chair when saw Aria messing with his web shooters. "Having fun?" Will asked as Aria looked at him.

"These things seem a little different then the ones you're wearing now." Aria said as she held it up. It was like his current web shooters but a little more sleek and didn't have a trigger device.

"Just a prototype. No where near ready for a field test. I'm working on a touch pad sensor in my gloves instead of a trigger but still needs some work. Besides, I'm good as is." Will said as Aria nodded. Will took a step back and looked at his room for the next year. "All right, I think I'm all moved in. Clothes, books, equipment for my crime fighting job and nice window to the outside by my bed, check."

"I still say being Spider-man is going to get harder now that we're back in school." Spencer said.

"Oh, I'll be able to handle it. How bad could it be?" Will asked.

"Pretty bad, I'd imagine." Spencer told him.

"Ok, enough worry talk. This is supposed to be a happy day. We're back at school, the city's safe, Will's a superhero and the people are loving him, and I have a present." Aria said as she held up the shopping bag she was carrying. "Here you go. One new superhero suit ready to go."

"Seriously?" Will asked as Aria nodded and handed him the bag.

"I even made you a new mask. The goggles were ok, but you deserve better." Aria said as Will reached into the bag and pulled out the mask made of the same red material he gave her. He held it and saw that Aria had designed eye holes in the mask with a white material, so it popped against the red. She made the eyes edged, angled and they pointed up to nearly the top of his scalp, so it gave it a bit of a menacing facial expression.

"Wow, Aria. You outdid yourself." Will said as Aria smiled at the praise.

"Thank you. I got the white fabric from work. It's lighter and completely see through so you won't have a problem. The rest of the suit is all set. I also separated the gloves from the suit to make it easier." Aria said as Will took them out as well. He could add some padding to the knuckles and back of his hands for combat.

"Aria, you are amazing." Will said as he hugged her tight and she hugged back.

"Of course, anyway I can help. Now come on, let me see how it looks." She said as Will nodded and was about to take off his shirt when he stopped himself.

"Do you mind?" Will asked as they nodded and left to give him some privacy to change. About a minute later, Will was changed into his all new red costume complete with his new mask and he liked it a lot better than his sweats. He fit his web shooters on his wrists and they popped out against the red color. He adjusted his belt and looked at himself in the mirror and thought it was perfect…except for one thing. It was missing something when Will got an idea. He reached into his backpack and pulled out his blue hoodie with the spider symbol and put it on. Now he had his red body suit and his blue sweatshirt. It was good but not perfect, so Will ripped the sleeves off, leaving the hoodie sleeveless. Perfect. "Ok, come back in."

Aria, Emily, and Spencer walked back in to see Will decked out in his new suit. He still had the same red athletic sneakers, web shooters, and belt. The new red suit was form fitting and showed his muscles but wasn't too constricting or showing too much. The new mask made him look a little more intimidating and the addition of the blue sweatshirt with the spider symbol completed the outfit. **(2)**

"Oh, I love the blue sweatshirt with it." Aria said loving how the blue worked with the red and wasn't a lot but enough.

"Right. Added a little something else." Will said as he stretched a bit.

"Way better than the sweats you were wearing, that's for sure." Spencer said as Emily smiled at Will.

"You look like a superhero." Emily said as Will's phone went off.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked as Will picked it up.

"I managed to highjack the police's radio frequency and tied it to my phone. I get everything they do." Will said as he looked at his phone. "Armed robbery in progress at a Jewelry store."

Emily, Spencer, and Aria looked at Will with a smile. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Spencer asked with a smile.

"The city needs you, Will." Aria said.

"Go get em, Spider-man." Emily said as Will smiled underneath his mask. He shot a web line at the window and pulled it open.

"Catch you later." Will did a two-finger salute and jumped out of the window and web swung away as the girls watched.

"There he goes." Aria said as they smiled.

Spider-man swung into the air and shot a line at a roof and pulled himself down. He slid down the roof with his sneakers and then jumped off. He shot web lines at the roof of a restaurant and pulled himself forward in a web zip. "Excuse me, late for work!" Spider-man shouted as he zipped past civilians. He spun through the air, showing off his new suit and it felt great. He shot a web line and swung low to the ground. "Evening citizens!"

"Looking good, Spidey!" A woman shouted as nearby pedestrians saw Spider-man swing by.

"Hello, STARLING CITY!" Spider-man shouted as he swung close to the street and shot another web line to pull himself up to avoid a taxi. He ran on the side of a passing truck and jumped off, shooting web lines at a roof, and pulled himself into the air. "WOOOOO! New suit, same old me!"

At one of the best jewelry stores in the city, three goons were holding the store owner at gunpoint. "Open the safe, now!" He warned him as the gun was aimed right at his head.

 **[Knock-Knock]** The thugs turned to see Spider-man in a new suit standing outside the store on the sidewalk, knocking on the glass. "Hey, fellas." Spider-man said with a wave as the goons panicked.

"AH! Spider-man, shoot him!" One of the thugs shouted as they fired their guns and hit the glass. Spider-man did a 360 backflip and dodged all their bullets which destroyed the glass front to the store. Spider-man landed in a crouch as the thugs ran out of bullets and quickly tried to reload. Spider-man shot one guy full of webs as the two goons ran out of the store to attack him. Spider-man kicked one guy away and then did an uppercut, knocking him into the air. Spider-man jumped and kicked him in the chest knocking him into the side of the building. Spider-man shot a web and stuck him there. Spider-man did some backflips to avoid the last thug shooting him and in his last backflip, he fired a web line at a sewer grate and threw it at the thug, knocking him out.

"Fellas I know people say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but you don't kidnap the friend. It's definitely doesn't make popping the question easier." Spider-man said as he took the thugs and hung them upside down from a light pole for the police. "Maybe now you'll think twice about what you did here today."

"Yeah, Spider-man!" Bystanders shouted as they clapped and cheered for him and took pictures.

"Stay in school, kids!" Spider-man shouted as he swung away.

Spider-man swung through the city looking for more crime to beat down. _"Attention all units. Possible reports of a Narcotics sale in progress. Available units, converge at Sunset drive."_ His hacked police feed reported.

"It looks like they're singing my song." Spider-man said as he made his way over there.

A drug deal between the Los Halcones and another group was going down in an alleyway. There dealing in about 20 bricks of cocaine which were stocked up in the truck of a car. One of the Los Halcones handed over a bag of money when a web hit the bag and yanked it away.

"I'll take that." Spider-man said as he landed on the wall and webbed the bag of money there. "You know, if it's more than Advil in those bricks, I'm pretty sure that's illegal."

Spider-man shot two web lines at two goons and yanked them into one another, knocking their heads together and knocked them out. "Kill him!" one of the goons shouted as they quickly pulled out their guns and shot at him. Spider-man flipped off the wall and rolled through the air before web zipping to the nearest goon and kicking him in the face. Spider-man landed on the ground and shot a web at a guy's feet. He yanked the web and tripped him before throwing him into the others. Spider-man did a butterfly spin to avoid a hail of gunfire and shot some webs into one of the Los Halcones. He then attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks. He web pulled one guy closer and hit him with a right cross, then spun and hit him with another and then followed that up by a jumping roundhouse kick and knocked him out. Will spun through the air and hit another goon in the face with a roundhouse kick. He web pulled another goon to him and hit him with a flying knee to the face. Spider-man rolled from that impact and fired a venom blast at three goons and knocked them to the ground, stunned and unable to move.

Spider-man jumped to the side to avoid a bullet and shot some web at the gunman's face. He then did a web strike and knocked him out. Spider-man webbed up the last thug, shot a web line at him and then spun him around before throwing him into the wall, sticking him there. Spider-man then gathered up all the other goons and webbed them together for the police.

"Drugs are definitely my least favorite crime. Definitely top five…or bottom five, however that works." Spider-man said as he swung away just before the police arrived at the crime scene to see a bunch of thugs stuck together and a car trunk full of drugs.

Spider-man kept swinging through the city and took down some more bad guys. It was getting late as the sun started to dip when he got an alert about a homicide reported at the alley on Bleaker Street by the Calebras. Spider-man swung over and into the alley, sticking to the wall and didn't see anything. The alley was clean…well clean-ish. He didn't want to think what kind of DNA was around.

"Huh, what kind of murder doesn't have a body or any blood?" Spider-man said as he shot a web line at a fire escape to hang upside and lowered himself to the ground. "So the bad guys are getting very good at covering their traps, the government carried out a covert assassination or I've been duped? I'm kind of hoping for the government assassin one."

"It would be the third one." Will heard as he saw Detective Watanabe walk into the alley. "You know you talk to yourself?"

"Just part of my charm. I'm guessing you were the one who called in the murder?" Spider-man asked.

"Had to do something to get your attention. I figured base on all your activity that you were listening in to our police radios. Detective Yuri Watanabe." Yuri said, introducing herself.

"Very astute detective. So, you hear to arrest me or do you need a date for the policemen's ball?" Spider-man asked.

"Got a black and white suit?" Yuri asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Uh…" Spider-man didn't know how to respond.

"That's what I thought. No, I'm here to actually talk to the Spider-man. We don't know a lot about you besides your one liners, what bystanders tell us and the interesting words your perps say." Yuri said.

"It's just Spider-man. And I call them quips. What do you want to know?" Spider-man asked. "Not who I am because if I told you it kind of would defeat the whole purpose of the mask."

"Had to try. You've been causing a lot of trouble for the bad guys in this city and have been a headache for us. We don't need another vigilante." Yuri told him.

"I believe the technical term is Superhero. Besides, you have to admit I'm way better than the Arrow. I've got more personality, from style, more flair, and I don't leave arrow wounds in criminals." Spider-man replied.

"No, but you take the law into your own hands." Yuri said.

"And have helped the people of this city and you guys do your job. Sometimes you got to bend the rules a bit to take down some bad guys. Besides, it could be considered a citizen's arrest." Spider-man joked.

"I don't think a judge, or the DA would go with that." Yuri said.

"And yet I'm not in handcuffs which mean you like what I'm doing. And the lack of other sirens or guns pointed at my head means you might agree with me." Spider-man said.

"I've been a cop in this city for nearly 15 years so I know that it takes a little creative thinking. Plus, it's pretty much common knowledge in the department that Captain Lance has an in with the Arrow." Yuri said.

"So how about we do the same?" Spider-man asked as Yuri gave him a look. "Think about it? Our own buddy cop duo. Taking down bad guys and making this city safer. Detective Yuri and _Spider-cop saving the day. She's a by the books detective and he's a hardened, grizzled veteran. Will the two be at each other's throats or come together to save this city?"_ Spider-man asked as he had deepened his voice after Spider-cop.

"Did you just deepen your voice?" Yuri asked.

"Maybe." Spider-man replied. "Think about it, Detective. Helps to have a superhero as a friend. Catch you later, got a city to save!"

Spider-man swung away as Yuri watched him leave. Maybe there was something to his words. Captain Lance had an in with the Arrow…so maybe she should do the same. And compared to the Arrow, Spider-man was way better. He wasn't a murderer or shot people with deadly projectiles.

Line Break xxxxx

 **September, 2014-Starling City**

Things were going good for Will. The city was safe, people loved him as Spider-man and he had somehow found a balance in being Spider-man and Will Detmer. He made sure his two lives were separate so that his mother and his friends were safe. His classes were all in the morning so he was able to spend the rest of his time as Spider-man or helping Dr. Connors in the lab…granted he had miss some classes and was late more than once but things were ok for now. Right now, Will was Aria and Spencer at the university's pool watching Emily and the swim team practice. Emily had done so well that she was now anchor and co-captain of the team. They watched the practiced as Emily and another girl Paige were neck and neck as they neared the end of the race.

"Come on, Emily!" Aria shouted as Emily touched the wall and the buzzer went off. She was a second ahead of Paige.

"YES!" Will shouted as he, Aria, and Spencer cheered for her.

Emily floated in the pool and saw them in the stands and smiled. "Nicely done, Fields. You perform like that in two days and that regional match is as good as ours. You're starting to earn your place as co-captain." Coach Fuller said as Emily smiled. "Ok, that's it. Hit the showers and rest up."

Emily got out of the pool but Paige stopped her and pushed her back in. Emily came back up and looked at Paige like she was crazy. "What the hell was that for?" Emily asked.

"For taking my spot as co-captain. I was sick that race two weeks ago and that's why I didn't do as well. But the coach doesn't care because she picked you." Paige told her, angry she was passed up for co-captain.

"I'm sorry, Paige but the coach chose me." Emily said as Paige just glared at her.

"Guess the coach felt sorry for you. It's the only explanation why." Paige insinuated as she turned and left. Emily then got out of the pool as Aria, Spencer and Will walked over.

"What was that about?" Aria asked.

"Paige. She was gunning for the co-captain spot and I got it instead. She's still upset about it." Emily told them.

"That looked a little bit more than just upset." Spencer said.

"It's fine, guys. Paige is just all talk, really." Emily told her.

"Well, she's just blowing smoke because you earned that spot, Em. You beat her fair and square and if she can't see that, she's just being petty." Will said as Emily smiled. "Now, go get washed up and we'll grab lunch."

Will, Aria, and Spencer waited for Emily outside the gym. She showered and got dressed in a striped polo long sleeve and jeans and walked out with her gym bag over her shoulder and her hair a little wet. "Nice. Have a fun shower?" Will asked as Aria punched his shoulder causing him to chuckle. "Sorry, had to ask. Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm buying."

"Will, you know the dining hall food is free, right?" Spencer asked.

"True but I'll buy the coffee after." Will said as Emily nodded.

"Sounds good." Emily said.

"Emily!" they heard as they turned, and Emily saw her mom and dad.

"Mom? Dad?" Emily was shocked to see her parents there. Wayne and Pam Fields were Emily's parents. Her father is in the army and her mother was a home decorator…and both were from a conservative background which made things hard for Emily when she came out. Luckily, she had Will and her friends. "What are you doing here?"

"Your regional match is in two days. It's a big deal so we came to watch." Wayne said as Pam had a small smile on her face. Emily cracked a small smile in response, happy to have her parents here but knew that things still weren't on the best terms with them as they weren't exactly comfortable or understanding of her sexuality.

Will saw this so he decided to do something. "Great. How about we get something to eat?" Will asked as Wayne and Pam nodded. Aria and Spencer motioned them forward as Will looked at Emily. "Hey, don't worry. We're here for you."

"I know." Emily said as they went to the dining hall to get something to eat.

"So, how has everything been going on here? Still can't believe that the school is going on considering what happened a few months ago." Pam said.

"Well, the school was undamaged from the event and the police have pretty much controlled the city after everything that happened." Will told her.

"More like vigilantes have controlled the city." Wayne said. "It's one thing for a citizen to make an arrest but these vigilantes taking the law into their own hands is too far. Especially the new one, Spider-guy."

"It's Spider-man and he's been helping this city feel a lot safer ever since." Aria said.

"Aria, you're young so I understand how you can feel but he's not a cop or any person in law enforcement. The law should be protected by those who are charged to defend it." Wayne told them as Aria and Spencer looked at Will who sipped his water.

"I couldn't agree more. God knows my mother worries enough as it is without having to worry about another vigilante." Will said as he spared a glance to his friends and gave them a wink.

"It's just like Emily told us about you, William. You are very smart for your age." Wayne said with a smile on his face. They managed to have a nice lunch and engage in some delightful conversation when Will noticed an older man walk into the dining hall in a business suit and walk over to a table of professors.

"I'm looking for Coach Fuller." The man told the table.

"Is the coach expecting you?" Doctor Connors asked.

"The coach is avoiding me, that's what the coach is doing." The man told him as Dr. Connors stood up.

"Are you a parent?" Dr. Connors asked.

"Yes, I'm a parent. Nick McKullers. My daughter is Paige McKullers." Mr. McKullers said.

"Yes, I know. I have your daughter is my intro to biology class. Dr. Curt Connors." Dr. Connors said, introducing himself as the Mr. McKullers was not amused.

"The Coach, now!" Mr. McKullers told him.

"Tell you what, how about we go the Dean's office and see if we can't find Couch Fuller." Dr. Connors told him.

"I've seen the Dean and all I got was some politically correct double talk about the agenda in this place that is penalizing my daughter. Taking opportunities away from her and giving them to someone who doesn't deserve them." Mr. McKullers said as Aria rubbed Emily's arm and Spencer held her hand. Will glared at the man and his right hand tightened into his fist as he saw red. Normally, Will would be composed unless someone was threatening his mother or his friends.

"I'll be right back." Will said as he got up and went over.

"Will, don't!" Emily said but he walked over.

"Every student gets a fair chance here, Mr. McKullers. All of the staff go out of their ways to ensure that happens." Dr. Connors said.

"My daughter is the best swimmer on that team. And you just can't give a co-captain and anchor position to someone just because…" "Finish that sentence and we're gonna have a problem." Mr. McKullers and Dr. Connors turned to see Will had walked over and by now everyone in the dining hall was watching.

"This doesn't concern you, kid. Walk away." Mr. McKullers told him.

"If it's about your attitude towards my best friend and your very unreasonable or inappropriate behavior then it does." Will told him.

"Will, it's ok." Dr. Connors told him.

"Listen to your professor kid and walk away." Mr. McKullers told him.

"Normally I would but right now you just insulted my best friend so I'm going to give you the chance to apologize for your statements and we can go about our merry way." Will told him as Mr. McKullers turned to Will and got in his face.

"Listen, kid. This is none of your business." He said as he poked Will in the chest and pushed him back causing Will's temper to rise. "And if you're friends with that girl then you should rethink your priorities because that girl is trouble. Taking opportunities from everyone with her disgusting lifestyle isn't a friend you should—"

Mr. McKullers poked Will in the chest again but this time Will grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back causing him to shout in pain. Will then grabbed him and slammed him onto an empty table and held his arm behind his back and began twisting. "Finish that sentence and I break your arm." Will warned him.

"Let me go, kid before you regret it!" Mr. McKullers shouted as Will twisted his wrist causing him to shout in pain.

"Probably not a smart idea to threaten someone who has your wrist in a vice and whose best friend you just insulted twice. Normally I'm a very kind person but the one thing that makes me angry is when you insult or threaten the people I care about. Now listen and listen well because I won't repeat myself. You are going to take that outdated, sexists, and homophobic sentence you were about to say and shove it up your ass and never say it out loud again." Will warned him as everyone watched with bated breath. "I understand you're upset your daughter didn't get a co-captain or anchor position on the swim team, but she didn't get it because my friend is a better swimmer. Trying to make an excuse that the coach or the school gave it to her because of her sexuality is not only stupid but pathetic. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Emily, Aria, and Spencer smiled when they heard Will say that as Wayne and Pam looked at Will in a newfound light. "I watched them race multiple times and Emily is a better swimmer then your daughter and earned that spot. Period. Emily is one of the smartest, kindest, and strongest women I've met in my entire life and it's my honor to be her friend. The amount of courage she has to have come out is something a worm like you will never understand. Everything she has gotten in her life she has earned through sheer force of will and hard work and any girl would be lucky to have her. Now I'm only going to say this once so listen, you threaten or make anymore snide comments about my friend then your arm gets broken in so many places you'll need help to wipe your own ass. Are we clear?!" Will asked him as he twisted his wrist and the man shouted in pain. "Are we clear?!"

"Ok, ok!" Mr. McKullers shouted as Will pulled him off the table and let him go.

"You should be ashamed of yourself. Now go. I think you ruined enough of everyone's lunch." Will told him as Mr. McKullers fixed his tie and walked away causing everyone to clap and cheer for Will.

Will looked around at everyone looking at him and saw Emily, Spencer, and Aria clapping the loudest. "Sorry you had to see that, Dr. Connors. If you'll want to terminate my assistant position, I'd understand." Will said.

"Are you kidding?" Dr. Connors asked. "That kind of loyalty is inspiring, Will. I want that loyalty with me for as long as possible. And your friend is very lucky as well."

Will nodded as Dr. Connors sat back down with his colleagues as Will walked back over to his table. Emily shot up and hugged him as Will hugged back. "I love you, Will." She said as a tear dropped down her eye and Will hugged her tight.

"I love you too, Em." Will replied as they separated from the hug and she wiped her tear away. "How about we get out of here before anything else happens?"

They all got up and left the dining hall as Will got everyone some coffee from the café. They walked out into the quad as Will cleared his throat and looked at Emily's parents. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Mr. and Mrs. Fields. I want you to know that's not an accurate representation of how I normally conduct myself." Will said as Wayne looked at him.

"There's nothing to apologize for." Wayne said as he looked at Will. "If you didn't do something I would have. It says a lot about the friendship you have with my daughter that you were willing to do that for her in front of everyone."

"Emily is very important to me and I'll be there for her…no matter what." Will said as he looked at Emily. "Same goes for all my friends."

"Then Emily is very lucky to have you. Could you three give us a moment alone with our daughter?" Pam asked as she had some tears welling up so the three nodded and gave them some space. Pam and Wayne took Emily to the side to talk while Aria, Spencer, and Will watched and it seemed like Pam and Wayne were trying to reconcile with their daughter which ended in a very heartfelt hug.

"That was a very brave thing you did, Will." Spencer said.

"It was awesome." Aria told him.

"And I know it's not on brand with Will Detmer, but I'd do it again for any one of you. No one insults my friends and gets away with it." Will as they smiled at him. He heard a phone ring in his backpack, so he opened his middle zipper which held his suit and saw it was the burner phone he had. He took it out and answered. "Hello? Yuri?"

" _Hey, it's me. I've got a possible situation I think I could use your help with. Meet me on the roof of the precinct in 20 minutes."_ Yuri told him.

"On my way." Will replied as he ended the call and looked at Aria and Spencer. "Sorry, I got to go. Yuri needs me."

"We know. Go. We'll tell them something came up." Spencer said as Will nodded.

"You girls are the best." Will said as he took off running in the other direction.

"And don't you forget it!" Aria shouted at him.

Will made his way through campus until he came behind the art and music building because it was the one building that had minimum security camera coverage and a small alcove he could change without anyone seeing. He made sure no one was around and could see him and quickly got changed into his suit and made his way to the police precinct. About two weeks after they first met, Yuri decided to give Spider-man the benefit of the doubt and try to trust him. She called in fake police call to talk to him and gave him her business card to contact her if something came up. For this, Will took a phone he got out of a dumpster, did a little hacking and engineering and made a burner phone which was his primary point of communication with Yuri. He encrypted it so Yuri wouldn't be able to track it and he removed the phone's GPS so he couldn't be traced. Just because he trusted Yuri doesn't mean he wasn't prepared.

Yuri walked onto the roof of the precinct and walked over to the railing and pulled out a packet of Nicorette gum. "Now that you've quit smoking, what do you tell people when you come up here?" She heard as Spider-man landed on to the rooftop door in a crouch.

"That I need a break from their crap." Yuri said as Spider-man jumped over and landed on the railing. Yuri took out a piece of Nicorette gum and chewed it.

"Fair enough. So, what's up?" Spider-man asked.

"Organized crime's been busy working on the rackets of a crime boss we think is operating through the city. We managed to identify one of them as construction sites. On paper, they appear to be legitimate businesses with multiple investors and we don't have enough probable cause for a warrant." Yuri told him as she handed him a slip of paper with an address on it. "That's why I want you to watch over the locations. Tell me if you see anything suspicious. If this really is a crime lord we're dealing with then he'll have moles in the department. You're the only one I trust."

"Aw, you chose me? I'm touched." Spider-man said as Yuri just shook her head. "I'll look into it."

"Good. Unless we get actual probable cause, you'll be on your own. And try to keep the property destruction to a minimum. The less you destroy the better case we'll be able to make." Yuri said as she walked over to the door.

"I thought you trusted me?" Spider-man asked as Yuri chuckled.

"Get to work." Yuri said as she went back inside.

"Just another day in the life of Spider-man." Spider-man said as shot a web line and swung away, on his way to the address Yuri gave him. He swung through the city and made his way over to the construction site at a new developing high rise. He swung up and landed on a moving crane, looking down at the site and saw a bunch of men in body armor, ear pieces, and assault rifles…and they weren't exactly doing any construction. He took out his cellphone and put it to his ear. "Yuri, I'm at the Construction site and there are a lot of guys here who aren't exactly doing constructing, unless constructing involves Kevlar body armor and assault rifles."

" _So what are they doing?"_ Yuri asked.

"I'm gonna find out." Spider-man said as he looked down and decided to play this a bit smart and thin the heard. He saw one of the lookouts watching over some crates alone so he aimed his web shooter at him and clenched his fist, setting off a trigger that shot a glob of impact webbing from the secondary nozzle. The impact webbing flew through the air, hit the guy and stuck him to the containers with no fuss and no noise. "One down about two dozen to go."

He saw a sniper on the partially built third floor so Spider-man zipped over to a support beam and moved above him. He shot a web line at the guy and pulled him up before shooting more webs at him and encasing him in a web cocoon dangled from the support beam. He jumped over to another rafter and saw another guy below him so he shot a wed line and yanked him up into the air. He fired another web line and yanked him down, knocking his face against the rafter and knocking him out. He webbed him up and dangled him from the beam as Spider-man looked around and didn't see any more snipers or scouts.

" _Spider-man, turns out we've busted four illegal firearm dealers within a three block radius of that site."_ Yuri told him.

"Gun running. I'll see what I can do to cut down their supply." Spider-man said as he jumped and shot a web line at one of the goon's guns and yanked it away before landing next to them. "Hey, guys. The illegal weapon's shipment transport left. You missed it."

He fired two web lines at the goons and yanked them into one another before doing a 360 dive roll and shot a glob of web in a bad guy's face. Spider-man did a forward handspring from his dive roll and kicked one of the goons away before shooting web line at his chest and slamming him onto the ground. Spider-man shot a web line at a goon's face and pulled him to the ground, slamming his face into the concrete. Spider-man shot a web line at some scaffolding and yanked it down onto some goons and trapped them. He shot a web line at a wooden pallet and spun it around before throwing it through the air and into some goons who were going to shoot him.

"It's Spider-man, get him!" The goons shouted as they all started to converge on him. Spider-man shot a web line at a large packet of cement powder and threw it at the goons, causing to explode in a cloud of dust. Spider-man charged forward and knocked the bad guys away in a flurry of kicks and punches of his very unique fighting style. He knocked one guy into the air before shooting a web line and throwing him back to the ground. He did a butterfly kick into a goon before webbing an empty water barrel and hurled it at some bad guys. He heard the elevators ding and more bad guys began showing up armed with Taser sticks, crowbars, knives, retractable batons, and guns.

"The Big Man will want him dead!" One of them shouted as Spider-man webbed a trash can and hurled it at the big group, knocking some of them down. He fired a barrage of web bullets at them, knocking some of them around before he fired four bursts of impact webbing and wrapped them up. He heard the click of his web shooters run dry, so he kicked a heavy-duty truck cargo lifter into them and quickly hid behind a wall to reload his web shooters. Once reloaded, he 360 dived rolled out of cover and shot more webs at the goons, shot a web line at an electrical panel, yanked it clean off and threw it at some goons, giving them a mild electric shock and knocked them out. He ducked under a crow bar and kicked the guy into the air and then did a 360 jumping spin kick and knocked him away. Spider-man flipped forward to avoid a barrage of bullets and web zipped to the gunman, kicking him in the face. He back flipped into the wall and then pushed off, knocking through some goons before shooting two web lines at a goon, jumped forward and used his momentum to throw the guy in the air and slammed him onto the ground.

More guys showed up, this time with riot shields as Spider-man webbed a guy's hands and flipped over him. He yanked on the web lines hard, causing the goon to punch himself in the face and knock himself out. A riot shield guy charged forward so he slid under his legs and then kicked him in the back, sending him flying away. Spider-man fired more impact webbing at the goons, webbing them up as he went from goon to goon, beating them with ease.

"Oh, hey more guys. Welcome to the party. House rules, leave your shoes at the door. Unless you're not wearing socks, in which case, buy some socks already!" Spider-man quipped as he charged through one goon and threw him up into the air. He back flipped, grabbed the guy with his legs, shot two web lines at the ground and slammed back to the ground, knocking out the bad guy.

"Come on, he's making us look like chumps!" One of them said before he was hit by impact webbing and webbed to the wall.

"You don't need my help for that!" Spider-man shouted as he webbed up five more before fired a venom blast at 6 six other guys and rendered them unable to move. He kicked a guy back before using his body as a post and jumped off him, kicking him in the face and did a back flip. Spider-man webbed his body as he landed back on his feet and threw him into the others.

"Anyone want to surrender? No?! You sure, it's chili night at Iron Height Prison!" Spider-man shouted as he slid under a guy, webbed his feet and tripped him up before throwing him into the wall. Spider-man then bounced off one goon, web threw him into the wall before flipping through the air and landing on the last goon feet first and knocking him out. "And he sticks the landing."

He looked at his handy work and go to tying up the bad guys before giving Yuri a call. "The place is locked down, Detective. Actually, webbed down." He said.

" _And someone finally reported shots fired so we're on our way. All of the bad guys together?"_ Yuri asked as Spider-man looked over his shoulder to see the giant webbed ball, contained the 40 plus bad guys he beat the snot out of.

"Together and not going anywhere. You'll see when you get here." Spider-man said as he fired a web line and swung away.

Will made his way back to campus to his room and quickly got changed into something nicer for dinner. Emily's parents would be taking them out to dinner in the city while they were here. Will put on a pair of nice black pants, dockers, a blue button up and a sports jacket Aria got him for free from her intern job over the summer. He walked out of the dorm and met up with Aria, Spencer, and Emily outside their dorm.

"Hey, guys. Hey, Em. Sorry I had to leave. There was an emergency." Will said.

"It's ok. I'm glad you could make it out to dinner with us." Emily said.

"Are you kidding? And miss dinner with my three favorite girls? No way." Will said as they smiled and Will noted they were all dressed very beautiful. "And you girls look lovely tonight."

"Thank you. So, what did Yuri need?" Aria asked.

"Just took down a large gun running operation, nothing big. But enough superhero talk tonight. Tonight, is about having a nice dinner with Emily's parents. How's everything going with them?" Will asked as Emily nodded.

"Better. Still a work in progress but after what you did in the dining hall…we're getting better." Emily said as Will smiled.

"I'm glad." Will said as they saw Emily's parents drive up so he held out his arms. "Shall we?"

The girls smiled as Aria took his left arm, Emily took his right and Spencer hooked her arm with hers as the three got in the car and had a nice dinner in the city with Emily's parents. A nice little break from being Spider-man but once dinner was over and they dropped them back off at the dorm, it was back to work. At one of the city's fanciest and most secure high-rises, an unusual looking man walked into a large and fancy looking office. He wore a regular business suit and looked like he was straight from the times of Al Capone but was unusual in the sense that the top of his head and forehead were more pronounced and rectangular than a normal human. This was Hammerhead, once a proud head/enforcer of the Maggia crime family, he's since gone to work for another crime head ever since the Maggia were put away.

Hammerhead walked into the room towards a desk and a figure in a chair that was looking out the window so Hammerhead was looking at the back of a chair. "What is it?" A deep baritone voice asked.

"The cops busted our gun running site. Took everything." Hammerhead said as the figure reached behind him and grabbed a glass paperweight. "Our inside man just told me. The cops arrived in force and even with his help, he can't make all that circumstantial evidence disappear."

"Our site was protected by 45 of my finest soldiers. How did the police take it?" The figure asked.

"They didn't, Spider-man did." Hammerhead said as the figure crushed the paperweight in anger, crumbling it into pieces and dust with no harm to his hand. "He showed up at the site and took down all our guys."

"This Spider-man is starting to become an aggravating problem." The man said.

"What do you want me to do, boss?" Hammerhead asked.

"Handle it. The Arrow is one thing. He can only take down so many criminals in one night, but…Spider-man seems to make them stop going out altogether. And he's not afraid of being seen in the day. We must handle him now before he threatens more of my enterprise." The man said as Hammerhead nodded.

"I'm on it, boss. Don't worry." Hammerhead said as he left. The man grabbed a newspaper on off his desk that had the headline, _Spider-man stops jewelry store robbers_ and crushed it in his hand. The arachnid was becoming a problem…one that would need to be taken care of.

 **End of Chapter 1**

 **1). Imagine Spider-man's homemade suit from Spider-man: Homecoming except the red and blue colors are switched.**

 **2). Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider Suit. That's Will's default and honestly, not impossible for him to create. I always thought it was ridiculous in the Toby McGuire and Andrew Garfield Spider-man movies how they made those suits. The Scarlet Spider red suit/blue sweatshirt one seems more realistic and is a personal favorite of mine. Granted the homecoming homemade suit is even more realistic but given Will's actual resources, not impossible.**

 **I hoped you guys like this idea. I was kind of excited about it. A meta who wasn't in Central City and was kind of the opposite of Oliver. He's a wise cracking, joke making superhero instead of a brooding vigilante. It will create an interested dynamic between the two when they meet because Oliver's experienced and it's made him cynical while Will is new at this and more optimistic but doing a better job, sorry Oliver.**

 **Yes, for those that recognize the name, Aria, Spencer, and Emily are from the show Pretty Little Liars. When I had to babysit my sister, she was watching it and the characters stood out to me when I was thinking about OC characters to add for the story and friends for Will. It worked out. Their appearance is the same from their TV show and one will be a potential love interest for Will. So, you guys decide. WillxAria, WillxSpencer, or WillxEmily** _ **(Granted this one may be tough, and I might not do it but give me your reasons if I should).**_

 **The primary Spider-man inspiration for the story came from the Spider-man PS4 game which is amazing. If you haven't played it by now, you need to play it. I've played it through already 3 times and I love it. Also, the cartoon Spectacular Spider-man and Spider-man: Homecoming are an inspiration. I still believe that Spectacular Spider-man is the best animated run of the character which unfortunately was cancelled and Spider-man: Homecoming was great as well. Again, my story isn't a Spider-man: Homecoming crossover with Arrow, it's inspired by Spider-man. It's why my Spider-man is different and has different abilities. The Venom Strike I got from Mile Morales and the enhanced/night vision come from Spider-man 2099.**

 **Next chapter, Spider-man continues to fight crime and ends up meeting some…I guess you could call them supervillains. Plus, he gets wind of a Big Man of crime who isn't too thrilled Spider-man is around.**

 **Until next time.**

 **William Alexander Detmer-Age 19: Birthday, October 8** **th** **, 1994**

 **Moniker: The Spectacular Spider-man**

 **Appearance:** Tyler Posey (Nothing wrong with Tom Holland but I feel for my story I want to have someone different instead of doing a Spider-man Homecoming type story. Tom Holland is great for the high school Peter Parker/Spider-man but my story is different)

 **Uniform:** Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit. Mark 1 Web Shooters.

 **Skills:** Genius intellect, Super human strength, Super human speed, Super human reflexes, Super human agility and balance, Super senses, accelerated healing factor, wall-crawling/adhesive stick, Spider-Sense, Night Vision, and enhanced range vision, Bio-Electrokinesis/Venom strike-blast

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Arrow or Spider-man or any associated properties, all rights belong to their respective owners.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Will's journey as Spider-man is in full motion as he understands his abilities and the whole superhero thing a lot better than when he started. The city is loving him and it's safer than it's ever been because of him and the Arrow. But he soon learns that all the street crime he has stopped the past few months is only the surface of the problem with some people who really want him dead. And those people acquire some…associates who have the goal of taking down Spider-man. Not to mention, he learns that the Arrow isn't too fond of heroes in his city. Kind of hypocritical if you ask me.**

 **The Spectacular Spider-man: A very pointed conversation**

 **October 2014-Starling City**

Night had descended in Starling City as the moon was up in the sky. Things were relatively quiet on the surface, but things were never really that peaceful. On the rooftop of a building, two figures with sacks over their shoulders came running out of the roof entrance and made their way over to the edge. They were Flint Marko and Alexander O'Hirn, two career criminals who just finished robbing a jewelry store.

"Did I tell ya? One getaway jump to the next building and we're a million bucks richer." Marko said.

"This ain't no million-buck haul. Not after the Big Man takes his cut." O'Hirn told him.

"Oh, shut up and jump." Marko said as O'Hirn jumped first but a web hit him in the back and yanked him backwards, propping him upside down and dropping the bag of jewels. Then a bright red light with a weird mask shined down on Marko. "Oh, no! Not again!"

"Yup! Again." A voice said that belonged to Spider-man who was standing on a telephone pole that O'Hirn was webbed to. "What is it, Marko like the fourth time in five months?"

"Just wait until I get my hands on you, you little freak!" O'Hirn said as Spider-man webbed his mouth shut.

"Hold that thought, dear." Spider-man said as he turned off his spider signal on his belt and front flipped to the ground in front of Marko. "Ok, so Marko be honest? The Spider Signal, is it too much? It's my first night trying it out and I'm not sure if it screams out Spectacular Spider-man."

Marko swung the bag of jewels at Spider-man, but he jumped and ducked with ease, aggravating Marko more and more. Spider-man webbed O'Hirn's bag of jewels and yanked it towards him, slamming into Marko and sending him to the ground. "I mean for a guy who has a lot of experience getting thrashed by…well me, I really value your opinion." Spider-man said as he webbed up Marko.

"This isn't over, Spider-man! You hear me! I'll get out of Jail, soon!" Marko shouted as Spider-man webbed his mouth shut.

"I'll be here to stop you when you get out! Have a nice night in jail!" Spider-man shouted as he swung away just as the cops arrived to take O'Hirn and Marko into custody. As Spider-man swung through the air, his hearing picked up a distinct whizzing sound. He flipped through the air from his last swing, shot out a web line at an object and slammed it into a building. He stuck to the side of the building to see he smashed a small aerial drone. "Hello, what's this? If this happens to belong to a kid, I'm very sorry about that. Ask your parents for another."

Spider-man webbed the drone up and swung away with it, the power on the drone dying as it sent over the footage it recorded. Back in an expensive high-rise building, Hammerhead and his boss had watched the footage of Spider-man dealing with Marko and O'Hirn with ease and then destroying the drone.

"That was a live feed?" The boss asked as Hammerhead nodded. "Then I've seen enough. Summon the enforcers."

"Already on their way." Hammerhead said with a grin as he closed the laptop.

On the other side of town, The Arrow and his cohorts were dealing with criminal activity of their own. They were trying to stop a truck carrying an illegal weapons shipment from making it into the city and its buyers. The Arrow was running through some foliage along the train tracks, chasing after the truck as he unfolded his bow.

" **I got them. Coming up on 52** **nd** **street, heading east!"** Arrow shouted into his comms.

" _Copy that or is it Roger? I never know the difference."_ Felicity said as she monitored everything at the bunker. _"John, there's an illegal shipment of RPGs headed your way."_

"Roger, I'm on it." He said, driving in a van to back up the Arrow.

" _Oh, so it is roger."_ Felicity commented.

The Arrow jumped down from a bridge overpass and landed on the truck. He ran along the truck container, flipped onto truck and fired an explosive arrow at the winch holding the cargo container. The arrow exploded and destroyed the winch holding the container, leaving it stopped in the street while the truck drove away.

Dig stopped the van by the container and opened the container door to see the illegal weapons. "RPG's are secure, I've got eyes on." Dig said.

" **Roy, we're coming to you!"** The Arrow said as he dropped down to the passenger side door and punched the window out and knocked out the passenger. He flipped back on top of the truck and moved to the other side, punching out the window, grabbed the steering wheel and making a hard left turn down a street.

A red hooded figure flipped over a car and fired two arrows at the front wheel, shooting them out and having the driver hit the brakes. The figure was Roy Harper, now in his own custom-made red hood with a recurve bow, quiver, and assorted weapons. The driver tried to shoot the Arrow but missed. He got out of the truck only for Roy to trip him up and knock him out with a boot to the face. The Arrow saw the last guy get out of the truck and made a run for it into a building so he followed. The guy ran for his life through the building when an arrow zoomed past his head and shot out high-tensile strength cables in front of him, cutting off his escape. He bounced off the cables and was kicked to the ground. He turned and saw the Arrow there.

" **Vincent Steelgrave…you have failed this city!"** The Arrow said as he punched him in the face and knocked him out.

Oliver, Roy, and Dig returned to the bunker underneath Verdant after a night out in the city. Felicity was at her desk watching a news debate about the actions of the Arrow and Spider-man and how the city was doing and it was actually doing better than expected.

" _The Arrow just took down another one of the city's most wanted, and there is no denying that the city's crime rate has plummeting in the past five months. And thanks to the actions of Spider-man, the city is doing better than it was before. The city was rebuilt and outside investment has spurred our economy. We are doing better and it's thanks to the actions of these heroes."_ The newscaster said as Felicity smiled.

"You're welcome." Felicity said.

"Take another one off the board." Oliver said as they walked in and he put his bow back in the case.

"We keep this up, there will only be two types of criminals left in Starling City—the ones we put away and the ones that are running scared." Dig said as Felicity walked over to the large computer screen and crossed off another bad guy from the board.

"What's that?" Oliver asked, seeing a plant on a desk and Felicity walked over to it.

"A fern. It thrives in low light. I thought since you were living here now, the place could do with a little sprucing." Felicity said.

"Did you buy me a bed?" Oliver asked.

"You were sleeping on the floor." Felicity replied as Dig and Roy exchanges glances at the notable chemistry between the two. Oliver's phone then went off with a text from Thea. "Another text from Thea."

"Where is she now?" Dig asked as Felicity handed Oliver his phone so he could look it over.

"Amalfi coast. I keep telling her to send photos." Oliver said as Roy walked to the stairs.

"I'm gonna go do a patrol, clear my head." Roy said.

"Hey." Oliver said, getting Roy to stop. "You did really good tonight."

Roy nodded and left as Felicity grabbed her jacket. "I'm gonna head out too. I have to pull an early shift in at work today, which may or may not be the most depressing thing I've ever said." Felicity said. "And I'm sorry to say that I've gotten nowhere with any leads on Spider-man."

"Nothing at all?" Oliver questioned but Felicity shook her head no.

"Nothing new and the only things we do know are what the police and media do and it's not a lot. Male, most likely around mid-20s and is most likely the same guy who stopped Helena the day she took those hostages." Felicity said.

"And do we still think he might be Mirakuru infected?" Dig suggested.

"It's still a possibility. Who knows what Slade had planned or if Spider-man managed to get his hand on the formula. I need to know. Keep digging and find what you can." Oliver said as Felicity nodded. "We still on for tomorrow tonight?"

"Of course. I am going to turn you into corporate master of the universe. Those board members are going to be begging to sell Queen Consolidated back to you and your backers." Felicity said with a smile as she left.

"I'm going to roll out, too." Dig said as he checked his watch. "Lyla has me trying to build the bassinet from hell."

"That reminds me, I got you something." Oliver said as he handed a small box to Dig. He opened the box to see a beautiful four pointed arrowhead necklace. "I figured since you and Lyla are having a girl…"

"Man, you cannot afford this." Dig said.

"I can't afford anything, which is why I made it. Arrowheads, one of the few things I can make." Oliver said as Dig smiled.

"Well, it's beautiful. Thank you." Dig told him.

"Congratulations, John. And not just on the baby. You and Lyla are happy." Oliver said as Dig nodded.

"Well, you know, you should try it some time." Dig told him.

"Last girlfriend, she's in the League of Assassins. My girlfriend before that, she shot my girlfriend before that. I'm not…not exactly a catch at the moment." Oliver said.

"Maybe Felicity will change all that." Dig told him.

"It's…it's not the right time." Oliver replied.

"Things are as good now as ever will be, Oliver. The city's safe and moving in the right direction. And you love her." Dig said. "You even told her so."

"I was trying to fool Slade." Oliver said as Dig chuckled.

"Yes. Except now the only person you're fooling is yourself. Thanks again." Dig said as he left Oliver to his thoughts.

Back with Will, he had finished up his morning class and was now slowly walking through campus to head to the café to get another cup of coffee. He finished up patrol around 1am but stayed up to look at the drone he smashed and one thing led to another and he didn't go to bed till about 4…and he had a class at 7am…it was a bad idea. Will was walking through campus, letting out a big yawn when someone came from the side and got him in a flying hug. He looked down and saw it was Aria.

"Hey, Aria." Will said as Aria looked at him and he looked exhausted.

"Geez, Will. Don't take this the wrong way but you look horrible." Aria said as Will managed a small chuckle.

"I got in at around 1 last night and I stupidly stayed up to look at some tech I got my hands on and I didn't go to bed until 4." Will then let out a loud yawn that got Aria to yawn. Damn contagious yawns.

"And your first class is at 7. Ouch." Aria said as Will nodded.

"Which is why I'm on my way to get my fourth cup of coffee in the past two hours." Will said as they walked over to the Starbucks. Aria got a soy latte while Will got a red eye with three shots of espresso.

"Will, maybe you should take it easy and get some sleep right now." Aria said, worried about him.

"I can't. I have another class in 30 minutes and I need to head to the lab afterward to finish some work for Dr. Connors." Will took a long sip of his coffee and felt it begin to wake him up.

"Will, even as a superhero you have your limits. You need some sleep." Aria said as Will smiled at her.

"I know, Aria and I appreciate your concern but I'll be fine. I've been through worse, believe me. Remember our finals week last semester. I've stayed up for 24 hours and managed to pass with flying colors." Will said.

"That was before you would go out at night and beat up bad guys. You're fighting physical exhaustion as well. Will, seriously get some rest." Aria said as Will finished his coffee and squared up with Aria.

"Aria, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. What about you? Have you heard back from the Kingsley Company yet about a part-time job?" Will asked as Aria smiled, seeing how despite everything Will was going through he still cared more about his friends and others than himself.

"Nothing yet but I did make a good impression which is the most important thing." She said as Will nodded. "What about you? I mean, I know working with Dr. Connors is great and all but have you thought about looking back at Queen Consolidated for a job?"

"Seeing as how the company is in freefall and with no clear CEO…I'll wait a bit before sending in another application. I'm not working for Kord Enterprises, that's for sure. I have a thing against weapon design." Will said. "But I'm alright for now. My schedule's busy enough as Dr. Connor's lab assistant. I don't know how Spencer can handle working at the DA's office part-time while we're in school."

"Leave it to Spencer to tackle classes along with a part-time job. What about that tech company in Central City? Uh…Smith." Aria said as Will chuckled.

"You mean, Smythe? Maybe…but then I'd have to move and I don't know if you girls could last without me." Will joked as she chuckled.

"You're right about one thing, Will…I don't think I could imagine my life without you in it." Aria said as Will smiled.

"Well, as long as I have a say in the matter, you won't have to find out. Suck it jerks in grade, middle, and high school who said I'd never have friends." Will joked causing Aria to chuckle.

"Come on, walk me to my next class." Aria said as she hooked arms with him and they walked through campus. The triple red eye managed to keep Will up for his class but now he was dangerously close to resting his eyes for a minute only to pass out for an 8 hour nap. Dr. Connors texted saying he was going to be late so Will went to his room to grab some things and head back over. He put his backpack down and plugged his phone into the charger. He lay down on his bed as he decided to close his eyes for a minute while his phone charged.

 **4 Hours Later**

" _He's kind of cute when he's asleep. I never noticed. Probably because we've never watched him sleep. We have but it's the fell asleep with my head on my propped up hand so I look like an idiot asleep. Shh, would you two keep it down, before we wake him up_."

Will grumbled and squint his eyes as he opened them to see Aria, Emily, and Spencer in his room, sitting by his desk. "Em? Aria? Spencer? What's going on? How did you get in my room?" Will asked as he sat up on his bed.

"You programed our student ID's to be able to open your door, remember? Something about being ok with your friends coming into your room in case something happened." Emily said as she, Aria, and Spencer held up their electronic Student ID cards.

"Right. Forgot about that." Will said as he rubbed his eyes when he realized something. "OH, CRAP! I OVERSLEPT! Dr. Connors is gonna kill me!"

Will jumped out of bed and grabbed his bag when Aria, Emily, and Spencer stopped him. "Will, stop. I already called Dr. Connors and told him you wouldn't make it today. He was more than understanding. You can make it up to him tomorrow." Aria said as Will calmed down a bit and leaned against his bed.

"Yeah, and seeing what Aria told us, it's a good thing you got some rest or else you'd drive yourself into the ground." Spencer said as Will smiled.

"Thanks for checking up on me. Guess I'm glad I got my support group of three, amazing, beautiful and badass ladies or I'd be in worse shape." Will said as the girls smiled.

"It seems all the work Aria and I have done with you has paid off. I remember when we first met and you never would have said something like that." Emily said as Will chuckled.

"Then you did a good job. And I think the physical change I received from my powers did a lot to boost my confidence." Will then looked at his alarm clock and saw it was 6:38pm. "Well, since I feel refreshed from that nice nap, how about we head into the city for dinner? I'm thinking, sushi at Toro's?"

"What about the city?" Spencer asked.

"I'll still go out for patrol but in the mean time I will enjoy a night out with my favorite girls. Shall we?" The girls nodded and grabbed their bags. They took a bus into the city and got a table at Toro's, one of the best places to get sushi in the city. Their spicy tuna was amazing. The four sat at a table and enjoyed some quiet time like they used to. Emily told them about Maya and that she would be visiting soon which was great and Spencer's parents were apparently visiting as well…something about the company and CEO they represent coming to Starling for something.

Will took a sip of green tea when he saw a mother and father walk in with their seven-year old son and he was wearing a Spider-man shirt, which was basically a blue shirt with a black spider symbol on it. Aria followed Will's gaze and saw him looking at the shirt and chuckled. "You should be getting royalty checks for all the Spider-man stuff that's been sold." Aria said causing Will to chuckle a bit.

"And I'd love to but I'm pretty sure there's no way for me to get money from Spider-man merchandise without revealing who Spider-man really is. Not to mention I can't exactly sue the stores for copyright infringement." Will said as he ate another spice tuna roll. "Besides, they're good but there's nothing better than the original."

"I don't know. I saw some of those Spider Plushies in a store the other day…pretty adorable. I think I found you your birthday gift." Emily said as she ate a California roll.

"I'm not that vain that I would want a toy plushie of my alter ego, Em but I appreciate the thought." Will joked as the waiter came over with the check. Everyone paid their fair share and left. The girls took a bus back to campus while Will stayed behind to go on patrol. He ducked into an empty alley and checked for any camera coverage and when he saw he was safe, he began undressing. He pulled out his suit from his backpack and stuffed his regular clothes in. He put on his red suit, mask, and blue sweater. He put on his web shooters and began swinging through the city for patrol.

He stopped several muggings, a few attempted robberies and took down another mystery crime lord racket which turned out to be a drug den…a good night. He kept swinging through the city when he heard an explosion in the distance and immediately made his way over to see what happened and saw what looked like a bomb had gone off in a restaurant.

He jumped down and landed in the street and immediately called Yuri. "Yuri, I need EMT's and police at a restaurant on 38th street, it looks like a bomb went off." Spider-man said into his phone.

" _We know. Units are already on our way."_ Yuri said as he walked in and began helping people out of the restaurant. He hoisted up a waiter and carefully helped him out of the restaurant and sat him down on the sidewalk.

"Take it easy. Police are on their way." He said as he went back into the restaurant and quickly moved over to help some people who were pinned under some rubble from the roof. He used his enhanced strength and lifted it off of them and moved it to the side and carried them out of the burning building as the police and ambulances arrived. Spider-man carried over some injured civilians to the paramedics and placed them on gurneys to be looked at. He stuck around until he got everyone out of the restaurant safely. There were three confirmed deaths and 7 were in critical condition. After he got everyone to safety, he left. He saw the early press conference where Captain Quentin Lance disbanded the anti-Vigilante Taskforce but he didn't want to risk staying around for too long. He swung through the air and landed on a gargoyle of a tall building. He looked at it and sighed. "Yeah, Bob…it's been that kind of day." He took out his cellphone and called Yuri. "Yuri, it's me."

" _Hey, thanks for getting everyone out of there."_ Yuri said.

"Sorry I wasn't there before. What happened? Do you know who's behind the bomb at the restaurant?" He heard some movement over the line which meant she was moving or doing something.

" _Yeah except it wasn't a bomb but an RPG. We got street camera footage of it flying through the air and into the restaurant. It was fired from a rooftop across the street."_ Yuri told him.

"Seems kind of overkill to use an RPG. Any idea who the target was?" Spider-man was concerned if this was a one and done kind of thing but he had a gut feeling it wasn't. Whoever used an RPG to kill a target and hurt innocent bystanders is a monster.

" _We're not sure but we do have an ID on the ring leader. Werner Zytle. According to a CI, we think he took over Vincent Steelgrave's crew. We found his lieutenant dead in an alley this morning. Cause of death was an overdose of Vertigo."_ Yuri told him.

This confused him because Vertigo hadn't been heard of since the death of the Count last year. "I thought Vertigo died out with the Count?"

" _Guessing this guy is trying to bring it back and in a different way. The Vertigo Zytle uses has some kind of hallucinogenic compound added in."_ Yuri said.

"As if regular drugs weren't back enough. So, why blow up a restaurant?" He asked.

" _Not sure. I'll keep digging on my end. I'll let you know when I found something, and then we bring him in."_ Yuri said.

"Definitely. Let's take this psycho down." He said as he swung away.

In a privately-owned warehouse by the docks, Hammerhead led the Enforcers in for a meet with the Big Man. They were a highly skilled mercenary group consisting of the leader Montana the southern dressed cowboy, Ox the muscle, and Fancy Dan. "Come in. The Big Man wants a word." Hammerhead led them into the room where a phone was waiting for them put on speaker. "They're here boss."

" _Thank you, Hammerhead. I'll get right to the point. For the last 5 months, a pest has plagued my city and my operations. At first, I could hardly credit the reports."_ Big Man said.

"Thought the boys were trying to stiff us. Had to get a little…rough to make sure they were sincere." Hammerhead added.

" _Establishing patterns of movements took several months but I now have confirmation that Spider-man is real and needs to be dealt with."_ The Big Man said as Hammerhead handed Montana a dossier on what they had of the bug including pictures of his appearance.

"And you want the Enforcers to stop this here Spider?" He asked.

" _No, Montana…I want you to squash it."_ The Big Man told him.

Line Break xxxxx

At Starling General, Captain Lance was lying in a medical bed after his little heart scare. He was stable for now and just needed some rest along with a steady schedule of medication. May Detmer was working and heard Captain Lance was admitted to the hospital so she took charge of his care. Quentin opened his eyes and saw a familiar looking woman going over his charts and his IV fluid.

"Ugh…" Quentin groaned in discomfort as May saw he was awake.

"Captain Lance, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"Like my heart's about to burst out of my chest." Quentin said.

"Well, that won't happen so you have nothing to worry about but you'll need to take it easy. Your heart's been through a lot and with some medicine you'll be fine." May said as Quentin looked at her.

"Do I know you? You look familiar." He said as May smiled.

"My name is May Detmer. You met me, my son and his friends about 5 months ago the night of the siege. My son helped you with your radios." May said as Quentin remembered and recognized her.

"Right. The kid who survived a building collapse and hacked into a military radio frequency. How's he doing?" Quentin wondered.

"He's doing fine. He's back at school and working with one of his professors on a special biological project." May said as Quentin smiled.

"Good for him. If he wants a job, tell him the SCPD could use a kid with his skills in our tech division. He'd make our jobs a lot easier." Quentin suggested.

"I'll let him know. Now get some rest and try to avoid anything stressful. You're a police captain, now Mr. Lance, no need for you to risk your life in the field." May said.

"Quentin, please." Quentin said as May nodded when they heard knocking by the door and saw Laurel standing there.

"I'll let you two talk. Just rest up." May said as she walked up to Laurel. "Make sure he takes it easy."

"I will. Thank you, Mrs. Detmer." Laurel said as May left to the give the father and daughter some privacy.

"I got to warn you, she told me to avoid anything stressful or getting yelled at." Quentin said.

"Well, it's a good thing you don't care about your doctor's instructions, then, since you're still going out in the field." Laurel said. "Do you know what an advance healthcare directive is? It's what they ask for when you're going to die, dad. The night Sara left, the night you collapsed, the E.R. doctor asked me if you had one."

Laurel walked over and sat down next to him. "I'm sorry, Laurel, I really am. I'm sorry, sweetheart." Quentin said to her.

"Then why do you keep pushing yourself like this?" She asked as Quentin took a deep breath.

"I don't know how. I've been a cop since before you and your sister were born. It's all I know. If I'm not a cop…what am I?" He asked.

Laurel reached over and held his hand. "You're my father…and I need you." She said as he held her hand.

Will was in the science lab the next day having finished his classes for the day. Dr. Connors had class at the moment and Will was using his rare free time to look over the pieces and parts of the drone he smashed two days ago. He was still working on who built the thing but it was a very advance piece of hardware. All the material, circuits and programming on the drone were state of the art. He heard the door open and saw Emily walk in.

"Hey, Em." Will waved as he put down his tools he was using to take apart and inspect the drone. Emily walked over and saw Will's workstation was littered with machine parts and he hooked up his laptop to the drone's hard drive and was running a decoding program. "What brought you by?"

"I was in the neighborhood. Just wanted to see how you were doing after last night." Emily said, referring to the deaths at the restaurant.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Will took a deep breath. He's seen some bad things in the last 5 months but never anything like at the restaurant. "Doing this, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now, I'm more motivated to catch the bad guy behind all this."

"And where are you on that?" Emily asked.

"Yuri's digging up some leads. When she gives me something to go on, I'll web this guy's butt upside down from a flagpole." Will said as he smiled at Emily. "But thanks for coming to check up on me. I wouldn't be able to do this without my support group."

"Then it's a good think you won't have to find out." Emily said as she looked at all the tech at his table. "What is all that?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. When I got back from my patrol two days ago, this drone was following me." Will said.

"Following you? You mean someone was piloting that drone to track down Spider-man?" Emily asked as Will nodded.

"Yup, and whoever they are they have some seriously deep pockets. I mean, this thing is a military grade level aerial drone. Lightweight polymer metals, twin lithium-ion composite batteries which are more powerful and last longer than anything else on the market, sophisticated servo-motors, and a powerhouse circuit board, camera and programing. I've been decoding the data on the drone and I should have an idea on who made this thing in a few minutes." Will said.

"Who would send a drone to follow you…sorry, Spider-man?" Emily asked, thinking something seriously bad was going to happen.

"That's the $31,500 question." Will said as Emily looked at him. "That's the estimated value of this drone."

"Oh." Emily replied as they saw Will's computer finish decoding the drone's encrypted hard drive.

"Now, let's see who you belong to." Will searched through the files on the hard drive and saw the recordings of him in action, swinging through the city and then him taking down Marco and O'Hirn and ended when he webbed the drone and smashed it. He checked its GPS and it was shut down when he destroyed the drone but the video was transmitted somewhere before it was shut down. He tried to figure out where but when he ping the device the drone sent the video to, he got nothing back which meant it was shut off or destroyed. He then began checking the rest of the hard drive and data and found out where the drone came from. "Well…I wasn't expecting that."

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

"The drone was made by Smythe Industries." Will said.

"That huge tech company in Central City?" Emily asked as Will nodded. "Why would they send a drone to follow you?"

"I'm not sure they did. Whoever was using this drone might have bought it or has some serious stake in Smythe Industries. I mean, this thing isn't available for open sale yet." Will said. "Something tells me I pissed off the wrong person and it might be the crime boss whose rackets Yuri and I have been shutting down the past month."

"So, what now?" Emily asked.

"Now, I keep a closer eye out for any more of these things following me. I need to make sure whoever is spying on me doesn't know that Will Detmer could be Spider-man. I promised myself when I started this that I wouldn't put you girls or my mother in danger and I meant that. If they have a problem with me, fine. But they leave my friends alone." Will said as Emily smiled.

"If anyone can do it, it's you, Spider-man." Emily said as she looked at the drone parts. "What are you going to do with all that?"

"I'm thinking about building some new web shooters or maybe use the parts for my own gadgets. Aria showed me some sketches and little drawings she did of little gadgets she thinks I should make. Granted, they were nowhere near scientifically accurate but they did give me some ideas and cool names. Scrounging for parts has been a hassle but this just made it a lot easier." Will said, causing Emily to chuckle. "But I think I'll make something else first."

They heard the door open as Will quickly closed his laptop. Dr. Connors walked into the lab and saw Will talking to Emily Fields. "Will, sorry I didn't know you had company." Dr. Connors said.

"It's all right, Dr. Connors. I just came by to say hi to Will. I'll leave you two geniuses to get back to your work." Emily said as she grabbed her bag and got up to leave.

"I'll see you at dinner, Em." Will said as she nodded and left. "Sorry, Dr. Connors."

"No, no problem at all. So, are we ready for our first field test?" Dr. Connors asked as Will nodded and they went to the lab and began setting up their first field test for the DNA Recombinator. They had success in their simulations but now would be the first actual test. Dr. Connors began powering up the DNA Recombinator as Will moved their test subject into place…a lab rat named Pinky. Pinky was a rat that had a very small tumor developing in his body and so the test was going to see if the Recombinator was able to reverse and even heal Pinky's body and cure the tumor. Will placed his cage onto the podium and placed a small cheese cube in his feeding bowl as Pinky happily crawled over and began eating it.

"Hang on, buddy." Will walked over to Dr. Connors and loaded an RNA vial with a clean genetic sample into the Recombinator. He plugged in some wires and adjusted the Recombinator as Dr. Connors synched up the computers for the test to monitor Pinky's vitals, body mass and his genetics. "All set, Dr. Connors."

"Then let's begin." Dr. Connors put on some tinted safety goggles as Will walked over to his side and did the same. Dr. Connors pressed a few buttons as the mechanism and arm the Recombinator was hooked up to moved it into position and was aimed at Pinky's cage. Will pressed a button and the Recombinator powered up and began turning the RNA vial into green energy and made a distinct humming noise. Dr. Connors pressed the enter key on the keyboard and the Recombinator fired a beam of green energy at the cage and at Pinky. The beam of energy was bright that the safety goggles were necessary. Will monitored Pinky's vitals and saw they improved a bit and his body scans were doing well. His genetics improved as it seemed the Recombinator was working. The beam fired for about 10 more seconds and then stopped, the RNA vial was empty and Recombinator powered down.

"Wow, that was bright." Will said as he took his goggles off and looked at Pinky's vitals.

"How are his vitals?" Dr. Connor asked as Will looked them over and they looked great.

"Great. Better than before. And his body scans show the tumor decreased in size by 50%." Will said, excited that this might actually work. "Dr. Connors, I think it might have worked."

"Maybe. Let's monitor Pinky for a few more days. If it really did work, then the tumor should be gone soon…but this is a great first step." Dr. Connors said.

"A great first step? How about an awesome first step, Doc. I mean, if this test is successful, you might be close to curing cancer and a whole laundry list of other diseases and genetic disorders. This is ground-breaking, revolutionary stuff. Nobel prize winning revolutionary." Will was excited this was an actual possibility…a literal history in the making but saw Dr. Connors was deep in thought. "Let's not celebrate the small win here, Dr. Connors."

"No, Will you're right. This is an incredible first step to helping a lot of people…and I think it might be something that can open a path to another use for the Recombinator." Dr. Connors said as Will was confused.

"What do you mean, Dr. Connors?" Will asked as Dr. Connors looked at him and handed him a folder labeled _Cross-Species Genetics_. "Cross-species genetics? You're serious about this?"

Connors nodded as Will began reading some of his research. "Human beings are limited in what our bodies can do and to arrive at where we are now took years of evolution. The next phase in medicine might rely on the animal kingdom." Dr. Connors said.

"Cross-species genetics. Harvesting and splicing certain genes of animals and implanting them into humans. Dr. Connors this is both interesting and frightening as well." Will said as he realized what Dr. Connors planned to do. "You want to try and harvest the gene that let's certain reptiles regrow limbs after amputations."

"Yes. If we can pass on an animal's unique genetic trait to our own human genome, then we can skip hundreds of years of human evolution in seconds. We can literally make mankind better." Dr. Connors said, excited about the potential but Will was beyond worried.

"Dr. Connors, I agree with you to a point but we're nowhere near ready to test that. We just started on genetic sequencing and now you want to add in genetic splicing?" Will told him as Dr. Connors gave him a look. "Look, I can't even begin to understand what this could mean to you and I will help you however I can but I think we need to take this one step at a time and go at a slow pace…like glacial slow. Cross-species aren't impossible but crossing animal genetics with the human genomes is approaching Dr. Moreau levels of scary. We need to be careful."

Dr. Connors heard what Will had to say and noted that Will was right. "Of course. You're right, I just got a little ahead of myself." Dr. Connors sighed as Will noted he looked defeated…this was really important to him.

"Don't worry, Dr. Connors…we took a huge step today. In a month, your work here could be the launching point for an actual test in curing genetic diseases and who knows what other kinds of new medical therapies. Once we conquer that and I know we can…we can move into your idea. And I'll help however I can." Will said as Dr. Connors smiled and pat Will on the shoulder.

"And I'm happy to have you here with me, Will. We're gonna change the world." Dr. Connors said as Will smiled back.

"I know we will." He replied as he powered down the system. "Why don't you go out and celebrate with your wife and your son, Billy. We have a lot to celebrate today. I'll clean up here."

"Thank you, Will." Dr. Connors put his lab coat away and left leaving Will to clean up and put everything back. He put Pinky's cage on the table and gave him some extra food and a full bottle of water. "Rest up, little guy. We did a big thing today."

Will put the rest of the equipment away and went back to his workstation to begin working on the special project he had in mind for the girls. He got to work on the basic schematics of the project when his burner phone went off from a call from Yuri. "Yuri, what do you have?"

" _Hey, I think I know what Zytle's next move is. Thanks to you and the Vigilante, the main crime bosses in the city are down to three minus the mystery one we've been dealing with. I think he plans to take them out. We got CCTV footage of the same van from the attack at the restaurant on the way to Rocket's arena where those three bad guys are. I think he plans to take them out."_ Yuri told him.

"Taking out three criminals in a stadium of thousands won't be easy." Will told her.

" _If this guy used an RPG in a restaurant, something tells me he'll have something bigger for a stadium and doesn't care about collateral damage. I've already got units mobilizing."_ Yuri said.

"All right. I'm on my way." Will said as he put his equipment away and locked it in his desk. He grabbed his gear and made his way behind the building and quickly got changed into his Spider-man suit and began swinging through the city. He swung from a building and landed on an adjacent one and began running up the side. As soon as he reached the roof, he jumped up and grabbed the ledge with a web and banked at a 90-degree angle and zoomed over the roof of the building and did a nose dive to pick up speed. He shot a web line and swung low to the ground and at the apex height of his swing, he shot into the air with a spin before web zipping forward. He kept swinging through the city and was making his way to Rocket's arena. He swung past a building when a stealth black colored modified Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter flew around the building and began chasing after Spider-man. Inside the helicopter was Montana, Ox, and Fancy Dan in black tactical clothing.

"Target sighted. Boys, let's squash us a bug." Montana said as the targeting computer began to lock onto Spider-man heat signature. "This is without a doubt the strangest assignment the Big Man's ever sent our way, but it'll be a memorable one. Target locked…fire."

Montana fired a missile straight towards Spider-man. Spider-man swung through the air when his spider sense went off big time. He turned around and saw a missile heading straight for him, so he let go of his web line and nose dived straight to the ground. He turned his head and saw the missile follow him down…it must be locked onto him. He shot a web and swung low to the street as he saw the missile swerve up from the street and close in on him, so he shot a web line at a nearby mail drop box from the sidewalk and pulled it to him. He pulled the mailbox close to him and kicked off it to gain some distance just in time as the missile destroyed the mailbox and the explosion knocked him through the air.

"ARGH!" Spider-man flew through the air and hit the side of a building. He fell to the ground but managed to grab onto the side of the building and saved himself. "Whoa, where did that thing come from?"

He heard the distinct sound of whirring and looked up to see an attack helicopter hovering in the air with a spotlight shining down on him. "Oh. That's where." His spider sense went off again when he saw the minigun attached underneath the cockpit spin up. He began backflipping up the side of the building to avoid a hail of bullets that ripped up the glass, metal, and concrete of the building. Spider-man kept back flipping up the building and managed to avoid the hail of bullets and then jumped and flipped over the helicopter and dived to the ground. He began swinging through the city as the helicopter followed him. "What the hell did I do to piss off the US Army?"

Spider-man flipped from a web swing and web zipped to the side to avoid another flurry of bullets and spun through the air before swinging onto a building and running on the side. The helicopter kept chasing him and fired more bullets at him but kept missing. Spider-man shot a line at the side of the building and sharply banked around the corner. The helicopter managed to serve around the building and kept chasing after him.

"This is so not what I need right now." Spider-man said as he tried to gain some distance.

"Well it seems like the bug has some moves. Too bad for him so do I." Montana said as he pressed the trigger and fired the remaining minigun ammo at Spider-man causing him to web zip up into the air. Montana then pressed a button on his dashboard and fired a missile. The missile head broke apart to reveal a large green net.

"Oh, crap!" Spider-man was ensnared in the net and began falling to the ground. He managed to wiggle his body and get his hand free to shoot a web line at a nearby satellite dish and stopped himself before going splat. It slowed his descent, but his weight caused the satellite dish to break off and he plummeted to the ground. He shot another web line and managed to swing and landed face first on the rooftop of a building. "Ugh, now I know the pain of every bad guy I've beaten the snot out of."

He ripped off the net as the helicopter hovered above him. "Ox, Fancy Dan, you're up." Montana said as they rappelled down with Ox behind Spider-man. Fancy Dan swung from his rope with a flying kick towards Spider-man. He kicked him into Ox who then trapped him into a bear hug. Ox smiled down at him which caused Spider-man to gag.

"Ugh, if you wanted a breath mint all you had to do was ask. Or better yet, corner drug store." Spider-man said as he got one hand free and webbed his mustache. He pulled hard and yanked his mustache clean off, causing Ox to let him go and shout in pain as he grabbed his face. Fancy Dan unfolded some kind of pike/spear weapon and charged so Spider-man back flipped over and shot some webs which Fancy Dan sliced with his spear. He shot some more webs which Fancy Dan sliced up. He kept slicing and dodging the webs, showing some impressive athleticism and agility. Fancy Dan swung his spear and threw out some punches but Spider-man's spider sense and agility evened the playing field. He ducked, dodged and threw out some of his own punches but it seemed even. Fancy Dan threw out a spin kick which Spider-man ducked, and then back flipped to avoid a spear to the legs. He landed as his spider sense went off again and saw Ox behind him with a large mallet.

Spider-man webbed his arms in place but he managed to rip them off which showed some impressive strength because the webbing had the same tensile strength as steel. "Oh. That's not good." Spider-man said as Ox slammed his mallet down, but he jumped over it which was a mistake because Ox saw this coming and grab his left ankle. He spun him around and threw him across the roof. Spider-man groaned a bit as he got back to his feet with Ox and Fancy Dan in front and Montana in the chopper above him. He took a few steps back as Montana shined the spotlight down on him.

" **Ah, ah, ah. Boys need a workout. Now, no turning tail."** Montana said over the speaker.

"Seriously, who are you guys and what did I do to piss you off? Or do you just have a thing against arachnids?" Spider-man questioned as Fancy Dan charged. He spun his spear and attacked but wasn't fast enough. Spider-man back flipped away as Fancy Dan threw his spear but Spider-man ducked and grabbed it with a web. Fancy Dan charged forward with a flying kick but Spider-man jumped over and webbed him up. He shot a web line and began spinning Fancy Dan around more and more until he threw him onto the roof and webbed him there. Ox came up behind Spider-man and got him in another bear hug. "You should never really do the same move twice…because this spider has some serious venom!'

Spider-man released a body wide venom blast which shocked Ox like he was struck by a man-sized Taser. Spider-man broke free, punched him in the face, in the gut, and then a tornado kick to the face as Ox fell to the ground and Spider-man fired three shots of Impact Webbing to keep him there. "Now that the hatchlings are dealt with…time to deal with big bird." Spider-man looked up at the helicopter and got an idea. He grabbed the spear and began running as Montana fired some rockets but they all missed.

" **Son, you're making the Enforcers look bad. I can't have that."** Montana said as Spider-man jumped off the building and he followed him in the helicopter.

"Well, we can't always get what we want." Spider-man said as he dove towards the ground and shot two web lines at two different buildings. The webbing began to stretch to a point until the tension launched him back into the air like a slingshot. He zoomed up and over the helicopter and threw the web covered spear at the rear rotor. The spear chewed up the metal rotor and the webbing gummed it up to it stopped spinning. The helicopter began to fall to the ground as Montana tried to get the rotor back up and running but the webbing was keeping it from moving.

"AH, geez! You got this! You got this! You got this! You got this!" Spider-man fired a volley of web blasts towards the ground near some buildings to create a large web net and then began shooting web lines up high and attached them to the helicopter to keep it from crashing down. He kept firing until he ran out of web fluid and the helicopter landed safety in the web net without crashing on any innocent bystanders. Spider-man landed on the helicopter in a crouch as nearby civilians took out their phones to take pictures of Spider-man webbing a helicopter up from the ground and saving people.

"Whew…ok, that was a close one." Spider-man then pulled out his cellphone. "Yuri, send some police to Madison Avenue and the rooftop of the Parker Building. I left some presents webbed there…and tell them to bring a large crane."

Spider-man replaced his web cartridges and got back to swinging towards Rocket's Arena, missing the cockpit of the helicopter open and Montana slip away into the crowd.

Spider-man kept swinging and spotted the arena in the distance so he web zipped to the roof of a building and point launched off it to gain some speed. He spun through the air and landed on a rooftop across from Rocket's Arena. He saw some movement and narrowed his eyes as his vision zoomed in to see the Arrow fighting Zytle and the Canary fighting some other guy. He shot two lines at the roof and backed up, building tension in the webs before picking his feet up and shooting out into the air like from a slingshot. He flew through the air with the wind rustling through his sweatshirt as he fired a web line and pulled him closer to the fighting. He looked and saw the Canary take down her guy and the Arrow spin kicked Zytle to the ground before looking at her. He saw Zytle get back up so he aimed his web shooter and fired a glob of impact webbing which hit Zytle and stuck him to a radiator. The Canary and Arrow turned to see Spider-man landed next to them in a crouch.

"Whew. I think I'd give myself a ten out of ten for that landing." Spider-man then flipped over them and landed on top of the radiator Zytle was webbed to. "What do you think, crazy mustache man? Ten out of ten? I think I got those points for style but I'm open to hear what other people have to say."

"Lock me up and throw away the key, it doesn't matter. There will always be a Vertigo, always someone to pick up the mantle. You have given it the power. Don't you see? Don't you—MMFT!" Zytle was cut off as Spider-man webbed his mouth.

"Ok, that's enough out of you crazy pants." Spider-man then grabbed Zytle's head and smacked it against the radiator and knocked him out. "Normally, I'm someone who's against excessive brutality but I think in this case it was warranted. So, Emerald Elf, Scary lady in black, what did you think about my landing? Ten out of ten, right?"

He looked and saw they weren't amused. "Nine out of ten?" He asked.

The Arrow then quickly put an arrow on his bow's drawstring and aimed directly at him. "Whoa, what's with the hostility? I thought rule number three of the Superhero/Vigilante rule book is you don't point sharp objects at other heroes?" Spider-man held his hand up. "Or it could be rule number six? A lot of the rules tend to blur together."

" **You think this is game?"** The Arrow asked.

"No but you clearly must not know a lot about me because making funny one-liners, quips and generally funny behavior is my default personality." He replied as he saw the Arrow wasn't amused. "You're not a very cheery individual are you?"

" **Not to other vigilantes in my city."** Arrow said. **"Who are you?"**

"First name Spider, last name Man but you can call me web head, you can call me spectacular, amazing, just don't call me late for dinner. You get it?" Spider-man joked as held out his hand for a handshake but the Arrow and Canary weren't amused. "Not a shaker, are you a hugger?"

" **What are you doing in my city?"** the Arrow wanted answers.

"I think what I just did is kind of self-explanatory. And it's kind of implied with the whole superhero thing. You know save the city, rescue kittens in trees, help old ladies cross the street and all that stuff. I do the same thing you do…just with less pointy objects and a bit more personality." Spider-man replied.

" **I want you off the streets. This city doesn't need another vigilante."** The Arrow warned him.

"Oh, I see where you're mistaken. You see, it's not vigilante but superhero. You know super meaning I have super powers and hero, well…being a hero. And it sounds like to me that you're just jealous that I can do what you do only better. And the people of this city love me even more." Spider-man said as his spider sense went off and jumped into the air to avoid being shot with a wire restraint trick arrow. "You know, violence isn't always the answer!"

Spider-man flipped through the air and webbed the Arrow's hands to his bow, preventing him from firing another shot. He landed in a crouch behind them and sighed. "Geez, I extend a polite hand of friendship and you try and skewer me. I think that says a lot about your personality and I think you need some help, maybe someone to talk to seeing as how therapy is kind of not an option. Well, hopefully you get some help whether it be scary lady in black or someone else because this is not how you treat superheroes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make sure crazy pants over there didn't leave a surprise in the stadium. Catch you later." Spider-man then shot a web line and zipped to the arena.

" **I hate him."** The Arrow said as the Canary worked on cutting off the webbing. Spider-man made his way into the arena and crawled along the walls and ceiling and saw the red arrow guy he's heard about next to a large bomb of C4 that had been frozen.

He shot a web line at the ceiling and lowered himself upside down to do his signature upside down spider perch. "Nicely done, Red Arrow. A bombsicle. I've always wondered what type of flavor they'd come in and it's nice to know it's be C4 flavored." He said as the Red Arrow looked at him. "I'm guessing the crazy Vertigo guy left this behind but don't worry, he's all webbed up. This will be a nice e _xplosive_ present for the police."

He looked and saw the Red Arrow wasn't amused. "Seriously, do all you guys in hoods have no sense of humor?" Spider-man sighed and decided to get out of here. "Well, seeing as how this situation is wrapping itself quite nicely my work is done here. I wouldn't stick around too long as the police are probably here right now. And tell your boss to find himself a sense of humor. Or at least not to shoot an arrow at me next time."

He crawled back up to the ceiling and made his way out of the arena. He landed on the building across from the arena and saw the police, ESU and bomb squad arrive at the arena to take Zytle and his cohorts into custody. His phone rang and he saw it was Yuri. "Hello, Detective. Is crazy pants Zytle safely in custody?"

" _He is along with his friends and the bomb squad just finished their job. Nicely done tonight."_ She said to him.

"As much as I would love to take credit for all of this, the Arrow helped as well. He was already fighting Zytle and his red hood sidekick stopped the bomb from going off. I webbed him up but I got here a little late." He told her.

" _Would that be because of the helicopter hanging above the street that will take a while to take down safely?"_ Yuri asked.

"Yup. The weirdest thing. Three guys attacked me when I was on my way to the arena." Spider-man said.

" _Three? We only arrested two. Fancy Dan and Ox, known mercenaries wanted for a laundry list of crimes. Their leader left before uniforms arrived but we put out an APB."_ Yuri said. _"Why would they go after you?"_

"Who knows but something tells me it might have to do with that crime boss we've been screwing with." He said.

" _All right. I'll look into and keep you posted. Good job tonight and get some rest."_ She said.

"Jobs not over yet but thanks." Spider-man then web swung away and went through the city to do a patrol.

Line Break xxxxx

The next day, Will was feeling good as he had stopped Zytle, was back to a fairly regular sleep schedule for him and he got an A on his engineering project so things were looking up. He was hanging out with Aria, Spencer, and Emily in the library helping the girls with their geology homework. At SCU, you had to take some basic science classes as a requirement and taking the geology lab Will suggested was easier than the physic lab option. Granted, they'd have to take a physics lab next semester but Will guaranteed them it wouldn't be as hard as the one this sememster.

"Ok, so Sedimentary rocks is one of the three main rock groups and has three different types as well. It's Clastic, Organic and Indigenous?" Emily asked as Will shook his head no.

"No. It's clastic, organic, and chemical. Clastic is formed from mechanical weathering debris like sandstone and shale. Chemical is formed when dissolved material form together like flint, limestone and iron ore, and organic is pretty self-explanatory being it's formed from the accumulation of plant or animal debris. That would be coal and dolomites." Will explained as Emily sighed and dropped her head into her textbook in exhaustion as he rubbed her back. "It's ok, Em. This stuff takes some getting used to but after a while it becomes common sense."

"Yeah for someone who can recite Pi to 100 digits." Emily said, her face buried in her text book.

"I can't recite Pi to 100 digits." Will told her.

"Yeah, more like 150 digits." Spencer said as she filled out her workbook. She was getting it better than Aria and Emily.

"Not helping, Spencer. Relax, Emily. A little more tutoring and you'll be fine for your test next week. Believe me, this lab was the easiest one this semester." Will said. "And lucky for you, you've got me."

"I'll take your word for it when I pass." Emily said as she looked up and saw Aria busy drawing something in her notebook and it didn't seem to be geology. "Aria, what are you doing?"

"Just doing some designing." Aria said.

"Oh, did you hear back from Kingsley Limited?" Will asked.

"Nope, this is for our wall crawling superhero." Aria said as she showed them what she was drawing, and they were concepts for more Spider-man suits complete with color palettes, symbol alterations and masks. "They're a work in progress but after making the first one, I kind of got inspired."

"Wow, these are good." Will said as he looked over the sketch of a menacing suit with a red and black color palette. Most of the suit was red with a black upper shoulder area and mask. The eyes were slit in a menacing way and the symbol was much larger. **(1)**

"They're definitely different than what Will's wearing now." Spencer said as she looked at a one that was all black except for a white spider symbol and eye holes in the mask. **(2)**

"This one seems interesting." Emily looked at one that was beyond creepy. The suit was mainly a dark blue with red on the face, arms, and chest. The red popped against the dark blue and gave the suit an even more menacing look than the other suits. The red on the mask resembled a skull/demon motif and the red on the arms trailed down to his forearms and resulted in forearm spikes. The symbol on the chest was some kind of spider/skull. **(3)**

"That one I'm practically proud of along with these two." Aria said as she flipped the page to show two more suits. One was a black and white suit that seemed very futuristic and sleek. A black spider symbol bled out into the rest of the suit to create patterns and the black eyes holes on the white mask gave it an interesting look. **(4)**

The other suit was a twist on the suit he wore now in the sense that it was his classic red and blue colors. He had red boots, blue pants, and a red and blue mixture for the top with a small black spider symbol on the front but Aria added in a web pattern on the red parts of the suit. **(5)**

"Wow, Aria you outdid yourself. If your writer career doesn't take off, you'll definitely have a future in fashion and costume design." Will said as Aria smiled.

"Thank you. It's easy when you have an excellent canvas." Aria said. "It's the dream of any budding fashion designer to make costumes for a superhero."

"Oh, do you have to call it a costume…it makes me seem like a child. I prefer uniform." Will commented.

"Uniform kind of implies that your suit is one of many. Costume works better." Spencer told him.

"Wow, thanks Spencer." Will joked as the friends shared a chuckle. "But these designs are amazing Aria. Maybe if we find some more material, we can make one."

"And I'm waiting for the opportunity. I don't know what it is but sewing your first suit felt…amazing. And seeing the photos and videos of you kicking butt and all the Spider-man merchandise that came up…makes me feel proud." She said.

"Well, you should be. All of that merchandise only came out after your new suit. I don't think anyone took me seriously in the sweats I wore." Will joked. "And it'll be nice to switch it up because washing the suit every two days is getting to be annoying."

"Every two days?" Spencer asked.

"I fight crime every night that involves me swinging from buildings and kicking the butt out of bad guys. I get sweaty." Will joked causing them to laugh. Spencer's phone went off with a text as she looked at it and sighed. "Everything ok, Spencer?"

"Yeah, my parents arrived at their hotel and unfortunately Melissa is here with them with her new fiancé." Spencer grimaced, not happy that she would have to meet her.

"Oh. Is this the fiancé who was going to be a doctor or the fiancé who was going to be a professor? I've lost track of the times you said she's been engaged." Will said.

"The professor and your right to lose track. Melissa goes through fiancés like their bags." Spencer told them.

"I take it things still aren't great between you and her?" Emily asked.

"Things have never been great between us. Especially after her and Wren." Spencer said.

"British doctor guy who…I want to say kissed you and your sister found out?" Will asked as Spencer nodded. "That guy was a total tool. You both could do better than him and you have since you're with Moby."

"It's Toby, Will. But thanks. Melissa still holds that over me when it wasn't even my fault, like I'm the first person to ever fall for Downtown grabby." Spencer said.

"It just says a lot about how much of a dick this guy was that he wanted to hook up with his future sister-in-law while he was engaged to his future wife. He must be a special kind of jackass and douche to cheat on her with you." Will said as Spencer, Aria, and Emily looked at him. "Not that there's anything wrong with you, Spencer. I mean, you're a lovely woman and any guy would be lucky to have you and Toby is. And I'm going to stop talking right now to prevent myself from saying anything else stupid."

Spencer, Emily, and Aria chuckled at Will being flustered and talking himself into a corner. He may be a superhero but that's one thing that never changed. "So, why are your parents here in Starling? I thought they worked in Pennsylvania?" Aria asked.

"They do but their work brought them here and they're…considering that they might have to move here for it." Spencer said.

"Really? That's great. That's great, right?" Will asked as Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I love them, I do but I went to school here to kind of get away for a bit." Spencer told them. "Everything with them is perfection and goal orientated."

"Yeah, wonder where you got it from." Emily whispered a bit causing Will to snort in laughter.

"Please, you think I might be bad but my parents are worse." Spencer said. "Everything I've ever done has always been compared to Melissa and she set a pretty high standard. Can you imagine how hard it was growing up to have your parents expect the best out of you every day and compare you to your sister?"

"Only child. Sorry." Emily said as Will nodded.

"I was the older sibling and my parents didn't set crazy high standards." Aria said.

"Well, I know they'd be proud of you Spencer. Maybe you should bring them by and we can do some butt kissing and help you with your parents." Will suggested.

"Not tonight. I have to go with them to some kind of function. Apparently, they'll be at the Queen Consolidated building and my dad thinks that having his entire family there will be a good statement. You can meet them on a night I can prepare because I want to keep my family life away from you guys as much as possible and I definitely need to prepare my parents for you, Will." Spencer said.

"What's wrong with me? I'm likeable. You heard Emily before, I inspired those Spider Plushies and they're downright adorable." Will told her.

"But my parents' wouldn't really like the joke-making you. On paper, you're great and super smart, someone they'd like but in person…" Spencer tried to figure out the right way to word this.

"You might be a bit much." Aria helped.

"Exactly." Spencer said.

"Wow, ok fine. When you're ready for them to meet us, I promise I'll revert back to old nerd Will for you. Spent years being that guy and now I have to go back to him. Only for you, Spencer." Will told her.

"And I appreciate it. I just to make sure you guys have a first good impression because the one they had of Toby wasn't the best." Spencer said.

"Do they still think you're not seeing him?" Emily asked.

"Yeah. They just don't get him like I do. I hate having to sneak around to see him." Spencer said.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Aria asked.

"The long weekend we had for Labor day last month. The distance thing is getting harder on us." Spencer said.

"Well, maybe you should take another three day weekend this month and go see him or have him come here? You could take a day off from the DA's office and go surprise him, keep the romance alive. Or better yet, why don't you invite him down for that massive Halloween costume party at the end of the month? Nothing says romance like Halloween and couples costumes…or so I'm told." Will suggested.

"That's a good idea." Spencer said as Will smiled.

"Not bad for a guy who's never had a girlfriend." Will pat himself on the back when he realized what he said out loud. "And I'm realizing that's not something to be proud of."

"Oh, it's ok Will." Aria said.

"I still can't believe you've never had a girlfriend. No one really every gave you a shot?" Spencer asked as Will shook his head no.

"Remember, this is before you girls met me. This is the lanky, nerdy Will Detmer who was shoved into his locker so many times that it likely gave him PTSD." Will shivered as he remembered all the times he was shoved into his locker, the bullies knocking his books away, and all the other things he'd probably need a therapist to help with. "It's not for a lack of trying but lady lucky never was on my side before I got my powers. High school girls aren't attracted to the science nerd thing."

"The whole Thea Queen Homecoming thing?" Emily asked as Will nodded and she rubbed his back.

"What thing?" Spencer asked, having no idea what she meant.

"It was at my sophomore homecoming dance when I was at Starling Academy. I had just helped Thea Queen pass a massive biology test that kept her from flunking out." Will said.

"Thea Queen as in Oliver Queen's little sister?" Spencer asked as Will nodded.

"Yup. And I guess out of thanks or pity, she asked if I was going to Homecoming. Being the naïve and impressionable boy, I said no and asked if she wanted to go with me and she said yes in that moment." Will said. "I got all dressed up and picked her up for the dance…we got there and spoke for about five minutes before she left to go talk to her friends. And that was the last time I saw her that night."

"She ditched you?" Spencer hated this girl already.

"Yup. After that, she acted like that night never happened because I guess she didn't care. It was massively embarrassing on my part." Will said as Emily rubbed his back and Aria held his hand. "But hey…life has a funny way of working out. Here I am with three beautiful women, new handsome body, superpowers, and Thea was arrested for drug use and it kind of torpedoed her chance at college and she's god knows where. I guess a life of piggybacking off of other people has a way of catching up to you and in the end…you're left with next to nothing."

"Karmic payback for what she did, and she deserves it." Spencer said.

"She didn't really do anything, Spencer. It was the fault on my part." Will said.

"And on hers. She said yes to going to a dance with you and then she ditched you." Aria said. "If I ever see this girl, I'll slap her across the face."

"Guys, it's ok. I'm fine, I've moved past it. Let's get back to studying." Will said as they refocused on studying for the test. Even though Will said he was fine, the girls weren't convinced.

Will helped Emily and Aria study for their Geology lab test and then helped Spencer with studying for Latin. They got some dinner and Will used some extra time to work on the special project when he got a text from Yuri saying to meet her on the roof of the precinct, so he quickly got changed and went to see her.

He swung through the city and saw Yuri standing on the roof with a file in her hand. He swung through the air and landed on the rooftop railing. "You called, Detective?" He asked.

"Thanks for coming. Got a weird one I think you might need to handle." Yuri handed him the file and he opened it to see the photos of two dead people with arrows in their chests. "We've got another archer in town."

"A copycat archer? Like Merlyn?" He asked.

"I don't think so, my gut thinks this might be a mercenary or someone in town looking for the Arrow." Yuri told him.

"And your gut is rarely wrong." Spider-man commented. "Just when I was getting used to the idea of a green clad archer, we have a new one."

"He's racked up two bodies within the past two days. First victim was John Burke, a corporate Financier from Qurac. Second victim was a few hours ago at an abandoned warehouse on the corner of Third and Lemire. Construction foreman Tim Kauffman." Yuri told him as he looked over the files and photos.

"Wow, this guy must be good to shoot an arrow through three sheets of glass and still hit his target." He said. "Anything tying the victims together?"

"Not yet. We're still looking into it and the only thing we have is a few phone calls that show they knew each other and were in constant communication together." Yuri said.

"One's a financier and the other is a construction foreman, so they might have been working on something." He said when Yuri's radio went off.

" _Attention all units, code 510 and 217 reported. Two speeding vehicles, one sedan, one motorcycle with motorcyclist attempting to kill sedan driver. Motorcyclist is wearing a black jacket and reports indicate he is carrying a quiver and bow. Suspect last seen on Codero Boulevard. All available units mobilize."_ The Police operator reported.

"And I think he has a third target." Spider-man front flipped off the building and began swinging to Codero Boulevard.

He flipped through the air from a web swing and heard a car crash coming from four blocks away so he quickly made his way over there. He swung up and ran across a rooftop before jumping off and swinging down and seeing a sedan crashed into a parked SUV. He swung down to the ground and saw an arrow in the tire. He quickly ripped off the passenger door and pulled the victim out of the car as police cars showed up. He got out of there as the police called an ambulance and he was taken to Starling General to be looked over.

Yuri was the detective on his case. The victim was Eldritch Kelso, a businessman from Qurac who had just flown in to Starling City. That was two victims with ties to Qurac and Yuri began to think that the three were connected in another way besides being attacked by the crazed archer but Kelso wouldn't say anything and refused to give a statement or help with the investigation. He was definitely hiding something, so Will decided to do some spider sleuthing and see if he could find out the truth. He was at Starling General and was stealthily crawling on the side of the building to make his way to Kelso's room. He was under guard by the police but Yuri was able to tell him what room he was in and luckily, it was a room with a window. He slowly crawled on the side of the hospital and steered clear of open windows so he couldn't be see. You'd be surprised at how invisible you can be when you're in plain sight.

He crawled on the side of the building until he made it to Kelso's window. He peak his head in and saw Kelso lying in bed with cuts, bruises and a broken arm. He then saw ADA Laurel Lance walk into the room. He recognized her from the night of the siege and the times he went to visit Spencer at the DA's office in the summer. He heard her talking about his accident and she was here from the DA's office.

"Let's start with the obvious. Why would someone want to kill you?" She asked.

"I have no idea. This whole thing…it's—it's insane." He replied.

" _Not a very good liar, are you?"_ Will thought as he watched from the outside.

"Mr. Kelso, despite what you may have heard homicides at the hands of a stranger are incredibly rare. Imagine how rare homicides by bow and arrow are." Laurel said.

"Yeah, the guy was a sicko." Kelso told her.

"And you're a liar." Laurel told him.

"I'm the victim here." He said.

"You're also a witness—my witness. And you better give me something useful, otherwise you're going to be facing an obstruction charge." Laurel warned him.

"You know, I think I want to talk to your boss, because you can't treat people like this." Kelso told her.

"Oh, really you want to talk to my boss?" Laurel asked as she grabbed his broken arm and smacked it against the bed railing hard, causing him to shout in pain. "How's your arm feeling?"

"What are you doing?" Kelso cried in pain as Laurel twisted his arm.

"John Burke and Tim Kauffman, they were also shot dead with arrows. And they're too dead to tell me why." She said as he couldn't tell her so she slammed his arm again. "Burke and Kauffman! What do the two of them have to do with you?!"

"We were all working on a deal! But nobody was supposed to know about it." Kelso spurted out as Laurel let his arm go and he cradled it.

" _Wow…note to self to never get on her bad side."_ Will thought.

"What kind of deal?" She asked.

"To build an oil pipe line. For Amertek. It's—"Will's spider sense went off as he pulled his head back just in time to avoid an arrow. The arrow smashed through the glass and hit Kelso in the heart, killing him. Will looked and enhanced his vision on a building across the street and saw a man in a black hood with a creepy reptile-ish facemask with a bow and quiver on his back. His spider sense went off again as he quickly back flipped up the wall and then side flipped to avoid three arrows that plunged into the side of the hospital. He looked back and saw the archer was gone. Laurel ran up to the window and got a look at the archer before he left but also saw Spider-man on the side of the building.

"Whew, that was close." Spider-man said as he looked at Laurel. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as he peeked into the room and saw Kelso was dead.

"Don't worry. I'll get the guy." He said as he swung away to try and stop the archer, but he was gone so he called Yuri to let her know what he figured out.

He swung through the city and landed on the roof next to his gargoyle friend Bob. "Hey, Bob. How's it going?" He asked the gargoyle as it he was an actual person. "Oh, I'm fine. Just taking down a crazy archer who's killed three people already and tried to skewer me. Just another day in the life of Spider-man."

He sat down on the edge of the roof and pulled out his phone to call Yuri. " _Hey, I figured you'd call. Looks like our archer got his third target."_ Yuri said.

"Yup. I was there. He even tried to take me out but too bad for him I'm too good. I think I got something that might give us a lead on why this guy's doing this. Are you at your desk?" He asked.

" _At the moment."_ She replied.

"Good. I did some spider sleuthing at the hospital and overheard a conversation Kelso had with ADA Laurel Lance. Just FYI, I would not recommend pissing her off." He said as he remembered what she did to Kelso's broken arm. "Kelso said that he and the two victims were working on some kind of deal to build an oil pipeline for Amertek."

" _Amertek. As in Amertek Industries, that large technology/energy company owned by Henry Irons?"_ Yuri asked.

"That's it. There's only one Amertek company. And judging by how both Kelso and John Burke have ties to Qurac, something tells me the pipeline is going to be built there. And after everything we've seen, someone wants this archer to stop it." He told her.

" _Did he mention anything about any other members of the deal?"_ Yuri asked.

"No, nothing. He was killed before he could finish. You have their financials so can you see if they were paid by Amertek?" He asked as he heard Yuri type away.

" _Yeah, they were and they are some large amounts. One million to Kelso, one million to Burke, two million to Kauffman."_ Yuri said.

"Wow that is a lot of money. Did it come from Amertek?" He asked.

" _I'm not sure. The money comes from some company in Qurac but there's not a lot of information here. I could find that out but it'll take some time."_ Yuri said.

"That's time we might not have. If our assassin went through the trouble to kill all three people involved with the deal then my gut says he might go after the guy who organized all those payments and it's someone at Amertek. The only problem is that Amertek likely has dozens of high executives up to the CEO who could have organized the deal." He said.

" _All right, then we'll take it one step at a time. I can't organize uniformed officers to watch over all Amertek board members and executives without arising suspicions that I'm working with you and I can't ask for a deeper big into their financials without probable cause and a warrant. For now, keep an eye on the high ups of Amertek, they're most likely responsible and the only ones with money and pull to get this kind of deal struck."_ Yuri said as she did some digging on her computer for anything Amertek related and got a notice the police received yesterday that a charity function being held at Queen Consolidated by Ray Palmer. Extra uniforms were going to be at the building because of the high profile people there and some were from Amertek. _"And I think I got you something. There's a charity function tonight and a lot of people there are high big wigs from Amertek. While this goes against what I would normally ask of you, maybe you could get one of them alone for information."_

"That's the only plan we have. Where's the function?" He asked.

" _The Queen Consolidated building. It's hosting a charity function by Dr. Ray Palmer of Palmer Technologies."_ Yuri said as something in Will's head clicked when he heard that. Spencer was out with her parents tonight at an event at Queen Consolidated…it must be this. _"I can't make a move without probable cause so this is up to you."_

"I'm on it Yuri." He hung up and quickly dialed Spencer. "Come on, come on, pick up."

He heard the dial tone but got Spencer's voicemail. "Dammit!" He jumped off the building and began swinging through the city with one hand while he called Aria. He waited a few seconds and she picked up. "Aria, it's me. Is there any chance Spencer came back because her parents decided to not go to the function?"

" _No, she still out with her parents. What's wrong?"_ She asked.

"I just did some spider cop work and it turns out the archer assassin is trying to stop some kind of oil deal with Amertek. The function Spencer's at tonight has most of the board members there. I'm heading there now but call her and text her to get out of there anyway she can. This guy is dangerous." He said as he flipped over a building and swung away.

" _I'm on it. Be careful."_ Aria told him.

"Always." He replied as he ended the call and swung as fast as he could to Queen Consolidated.

At the Queen Consolidated building, executives, businessmen, city officials and high-powered people of Starling City were in the Queen Consolidated building for Ray Palmer's Star City Pledge charity benefit. They were at the Queen Consolidated building because Ray Palmer and Palmer Tech bought Queen Consolidated and he was now the CEO. Spencer was there, dressed in her best-looking professional dress with her family because her father and mother were attorneys for Palmer Tech and they were in the city to assist in the acquisition of Queen Consolidated and Dr. Palmer's future plans for the company.

Fancy tables, center pieces, waiters, and caterers filled the floor of Queen Consolidated as Spencer sipped some champagne. She did her best to make nice with her sister and not screw things up for her parents who proudly showed off their daughters to their co-workers and anyone else. She was honestly wishing she had Aria and Emily come or convinced her parents to let her bring Will as her pretend date and was unaware they were calling her because her phone was on silent and was in her clutch.

Dr. Palmer then walked into the room with his security guard right beside him as he greeted some of his guests including Spencer's parents. "Ladies and Gentlemen—Dr. Ray Palmer." He was introduced as everyone clapped and he stood at a podium.

"Thank you. Thank you all for all coming out tonight. Given all that has befallen this city, it's easy for us to lose hope—to hide in our castles and be thankful that our ledgers are in the black, but we, the city's most affluent businessmen and women hold its future in our hands. Tonight, I'm making a pledge. I will give away half of my net worth to the benefit of our home." Ray said as people thought he was insane and couldn't believe it. He then pulled out a dollar from his pocket. "And this will be my salary for the year. So tonight, I invite you all to join me in this investment. Not just with your money, but with your ingenuity, and most importantly, your time. The city is my home, but it's yours, too. So, help make Star City our future."

Everyone clapped in applause from Ray's speech when all of a sudden, the window next to him exploded into pieces as something smashed through. Everyone ran away or hugged the walls and stayed down as the figure was the archer assassin who had been on a killing spree and he was here for his final target. Tom Weston, a board member of Amertek saw the archer and began running but the assassin fire a rope arrow at his legs, tripping him up and kept him from leaving. The assassin pulled Weston closer to kill him when he felt something hit his leg and trip him up. Everyone looked and saw Spider-man clung to a window adjacent to the broken one.

"Uh, excuse me. Can I come through this way or do I have to break my own window?" He asked as he jumped into the room as Tom Weston undid the rope and ran away. "Oh, something tells me that whoever paid you is gonna want their money back."

The assassin fired an arrow, but Spider-man jumped onto his back to avoid the arrow and then did a kick up back to his feet. Spider-man closed the distance and threw out some punches and kicks as the assassin fought back showing a great degree of skill. He pulled out an arrow from his quiver and tried to stab Spider-man, but he ducked and dodged all his attacks. Spider-man blocked his bow and kicked out his leg, sending him to his knees and then threw him across the ground. The assassin got back up and swung his bow, but Spider-man ducked and did a back-hand spring to avoid an arrow to the leg and then hit the assassin with a right cross and then kick to the chest. The assassin swung his bow again, but Spider-man dodged, kicked him back and then did a flying scissor legs takedown. The assassin hit the ground hard and quickly threw out a low sweep kick, but Spider-man propped himself up on one arm and swung his body to hit the assassin in the head with a full body round house kick or a _Martelo de Negativa,_ showing off some excellent finesse, skill, and athleticism.

Spencer was with her family, crouched on the ground as they watched Spider-man deal with the assassin and she was worried that he would get hurt but saw that it was the assassin who needed help. Ray Palmer also watched with intrigue at the fight and unknown to the group, the Arrow and his red hooded sidekick were there watching the fight as well. The Assassin got back up and tried to stab Spider-man, but he twisted his wrist forcing him to drop the arrow, kicked him back and then did a jump spin hook kick, using his whole body's momentum and hit him across the face with both feet and sent the assassin flying onto his back. Spider-man landed in a crouch as the Assassin quickly got back up, fired a rope arrow at the ceiling and jumped out the window to make his escape. Spider-man followed suit, jumping out the window and shooting a web line at the building so he swung down and into the room the assassin broke into a few floors down.

He looked around and didn't see the assassin anywhere, so he carefully walked through the room to find him. His ears, eyes, and spider sense all ready and able. He heard some movement in another room so he quickly moved over there. He made his way through the floor and saw moving boxes and furniture around which meant the floor was empty and either in the process of being cleared out or being renovated. He made his way over to the elevators and turned around to see the assassin aiming an arrow at him. "So, you're Spider-man? I'd thought you be taller." The assassin said.

"Normally I'd be offended but considering it's coming out of the mouth of an assassin I'm not." He replied.

"You remind me of someone I worked with once. He thought he was better than me too." The assassin said.

"There's only one Spider-man. It's over. Give up now and make it easy for the police." Spider-man warned him.

"We both know that's not gonna happen." The assassin fired his arrow but Spider-man ducked and shot his impact webbing at him, sticking him to the wall and encasing him in webbing so he couldn't move or get free.

"And that's…why they call me quick-draw Spider-man." He said as he held up his hand like a gun and blew on his fingers. "Guess on top of being a killer you're not very bright."

 **[Gun click]** Spider-man turned to see Laurel Lance standing in the hallway with a gun pointed at him. "Miss, please put down the gun." Spider-man said when he heard movement and saw the Arrow come from the hallway.

" **You don't want to do this."** He told her.

"Yes I do." She said, very angry and upset about something. Will could see it in her eyes.

" **Killing him won't bring her back."** The Arrow told her.

"I know it won't bring her back, she's dead!" She shouted as she aimed the gun at the assassin. "At least with this he will be too."

"Geez, what did you do to piss her off." Spider-man said to the assassin as he was ready to web the gun the second he had the chance.

" **I have stood right where you are right now, where you're so confused with rage you can hardly breathe and you think that taking revenge will make it better but Laurel, revenge only makes it worse."** He told her.

"No, he murdered Sara!" She said.

"Who's Sara?" the Assassin asked.

"My sister, you son of a bitch! Two nights ago you put an arrow in her chest!" She shouted.

"Two nights ago I was drunk in Bludhaven." He told them.

"You're lying." She said.

"I'm proud of my work. I wouldn't deny it." He said.

"Even with a gun in your face?" Laurel asked.

" **Laurel, you need to stop and listen to him."** The Arrow said to her.

"No. No, he killed my sister." She said.

" **Laurel, Sara wouldn't want this."** He said.

"Don't you dare tell me that this isn't what Sara would have wanted! Don't you tell me to think of her, because I am thinking of her!" she shouted as she was about to pull the trigger when Spider-man webbed the gun and yanked it upward, sticking it to the ceiling.

"Whew, that was close." Spider-man said as he heard police sirens outside the building. "Go, get her out of here."

The Arrow took Laurel by the arm and escorted her out of the building leaving Spider-man and the assassin. "Don't think I did it for you, because I didn't and to help you believe that, you won't like how I'm going to get you down to the police." He said with a smirk under his mask.

Yuri and the SCPD were called to the Queen Consolidated building after multiple calls about a masked hooded archer attacking the charity benefit and Spider-man arriving to stop them. Yuri organized the police and ESU teams when they heard screaming and looked up to see something falling towards them. It was falling at a rapid pace when it stopped about 20 feet above them and hung in the air. Yuri and the police got a good look and saw it was man in a black hoodie, mask, with a quiver on his back and he was webbed up and hanging above the sidewalk. They saw Spider-man swing down and stick to the side of the building.

"Here's the guy you're looking for officers. All tied up and wrapped for you guys. Just be sure to place a towel in the police car, I think he might have had an accident on the way down. Good night." Spider-man saluted them and swung away.

"I'll kill you, Spider-man! You hear me?!" He shouted as his mouth was webbed shut.

"Yup and my ears are still bleeding!" Spider-man shouted as he swung away and Yuri organized some police to get him down.

Spencer was with the rest of the people who were at the charity benefit outside of Queen Consolidated so the police could do their thing with the crime scene and interview all witnesses about the event. Her parents were speaking with the police while her sister was getting comforted by her fiancé. Spencer was on her phone, looking at all the missed calls and texts she got from Will and Aria probably to tell her about what happened tonight. She then got a new text that read _meet me in the alley one block down_.

Spencer told her parents she had to take a call, so she discreetly left the crowd of people and police and made her exit. She casually walked down the street and turned into the empty alley where she saw Will stuck to the wall in his suit. She walked over as he lifted his mask up so she could see his face.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked as Spencer smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little shaken but I'm fine. I've gotten use to this sort of thing since knowing you." Spencer said as Will nodded.

"I'm glad you're safe. Sorry to ruin your night out with your parents." Will said.

"Please, if anything you saved it. My dad was going on about our old accomplishments in grade school. Thank god there was an open bar." Spencer said as Will chuckled.

"Well, if they'll let you leave now, I'll call in a pizza at Mario's and we can all meet up at my room for a late-night snack." Will said as Spencer smiled.

"You had me at Mario's." Spencer said as Will remembered what happened with Laurel.

"Spencer one last thing, you know Laurel Lance pretty well, right?" He asked.

"Yeah. I've been working with her the past few months. We've gotten fairly close." Spencer said.

"She has a sister, right?" He asked as Spencer nodded.

"Yeah, a younger sister. Sara, I think. We met her briefly the night of the siege. Why?" Spencer asked.

"Well, I saw Laurel tonight. I stopped the assassin and had him all webbed up when she showed up with a gun pointed right at him. She said something about how he killed her sister Sara." Will said.

"Her sister's dead? Oh my god. How come there wasn't anything in the paper?" Spencer asked.

"Laurel said that her sister died from arrows and in this town, arrow aren't exactly a mugging gone wrong. She must have been involved with the Arrow or something like that." Will said as he began to think a bit about some recent events and the woman in black. "There's a lot of unexplained things going on."

"You ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine, just thinking. You want a lift back?" He asked as Spencer shook her head no.

"And a heart attack? No. I'll get a lift back with my parents. And remember, veggie topping but no olives." Spencer told him.

"Roger that. See you at campus." He said as he put his mask back on and swung away.

Line Break xxxxx

The sun was shining bright in Starling city the next day as things seemed ordinary. A black Cadillac Escalade drove through the city until it came to a stop at a warehouse for Smythe Industries that had publicly been closed for a few years but was actually a secret location where Spencer Smythe held his secret…somewhat illegal and dangerous projects. The car stopped as the driver got out and opened the passenger door and Spencer Smythe got out of the car. He was an older white male in a nice business suit and despite his age, he was one of the world's most renowned minds on robotics. The Driver went to the trunk of the car and pulled out a special electric wheelchair as Spencer helped his son Alistair out of the car. Alistair Alphonso Smythe was the son of Spencer Smythe and heir to Smythe Industries. Attached to Alistair's wrist via a handcuff was a large black briefcase.

Spencer nodded to his guard who pulled out his phone and made a call and within five minutes, a large cargo truck drove up to the warehouse. Spencer walked by his son side in his specialized wheelchair to the warehouse and moved apart an old metal plate to reveal a high-tech palm scanner. Spencer scanned his palm and the doors to the warehouse opened so the cargo truck could drive in. Spencer and Alistair walked in to see their associates waiting for them. And their associates were Hammerhead and Roderick Kingsley. Rodrick Kingsley was a tall African American male in a fancy thousand dollar suit and carried an aura of superiority with him when he walked. He owned a million dollar Media Empire but what the public doesn't know is that he got that empire through funding illegal criminal organizations such as the Big Man and the cartels along with weapons companies that have…less than stellar reputations. He was dirty as dirty could get and with Spider-man running around, his money was taking a hit just like the Big Man. And with the Enforcers failure, it was time to bring in the big guns.

"You're late." Hammerhead said as Alistair glared at him.

"I'd be careful how you talk to my father. We're taking a big risk in even being here during the day to help you take care of your spider problem for Mr. Lincoln." Alistair said.

"Shut it, kid. We don't use the L-word. Call him the Big Man or we're gonna have problems." Hammerhead said as Rodrick became the mediator to calm the situation before it escalated.

"Easy gentlemen, there's no need to escalate a frivolous little misunderstanding. We're all here with a common goal and to deal with a nuisance." Kingsley said.

"The Spider-man is no nuisance of ours." Alistair said.

"Enough, Alistair." Spencer said to his son.

"The bug's been screwing with the Big Man's income which means he doesn't get to make any more…donations to your more interesting projects. We take him out, everything goes back to the way it was." Hammerhead said. "Did you bring the suit?"

Hammerhead looked at the briefcase attached to Alistair's wrist. "If you mean our advanced all-terrain combat bio-suit then yes. Be careful and discrete how you use it, we don't need any kind of inquiries as to how that suit was made." Alistair told him.

"Yeah, yeah. Montana!" Hammerhead shouted as Spencer un-locked the briefcase and handed it to him. Montana of the Enforcers then walked over as Hammerhead handed him the case. "Put on the suit. You still owe the Big Man a superhero's corpse."

Montana took the briefcase and opened it to see a red and yellow colored suit with special gauntlets and a mask. "This ought to level the playing field a bit." Montana said with a smirk.

"It won't level the playing field…it'll destroy it." Spencer Smythe told him.

"Even better." Montana replied. "So, how do we draw out the bug?"

"How do you draw out any insect? You use bait." Hammerhead said.

With Will, he was in the library at a computer terminal doing some research on Sara Lance. He couldn't get what happened last night out of his head so the scientific part of him got curious and he decided to do a little research. He dug up some old articles online about when Sara Lance was presumed dead 7 years ago when she got on the Queen's Gambit only to show up in Star City alive back in February. Seven years she's been gone and all of a sudden she came back and now, according to Laurel she's been killed by arrows and not even a mention in the newspapers or obituaries. Either someone did their best to make sure it wasn't made public or Sara was involved with something really bad. He brought up an old picture of Sara and she did share a resemblance to the woman in black, the Canary. You just put her in a black leather corset, leather jacket, and mask and it's her. If Sara was the Canary, maybe that's why she was killed but by who? And the way Laurel and the Arrow spoke last night, it seemed the two knew each other fairly well and the Arrow knew Sara as well and that led Will to one person…Oliver Queen. He went missing the same time she did and when he came back, the Arrow showed up in Starling. Granted, he was suspected of being him but the police dropped the charges but still…could there be something there?

"Will?" He heard someone say he name so he turned and saw it was Aria.

"Aria, hey. How did you know I was here?" He asked.

"Well, seeing as how you weren't in your room or at the lab, this is the most likely place you'd be. I just know you too well." Aria said as she walked over and saw he was on the computer doing research on Sara Lance and Oliver Queen. "What are you doing?"

"Just a little research on my part for something I encountered. What's up?" He asked as he attached everything to a document and sent it to his email for his own personal study.

"I need your help to move some splotches of cloth from the art building. One of the teachers threw out some clothes in the recycling and I need your help to get them." Aria said.

"Sure thing. What for?" He asked.

"For your new suits…and for my Halloween costume." Aria said.

"Aria, Halloween is about three weeks away." He told her.

"And it'll take that long to make sure my costume is perfect for the party. What about you? What are you going as?" Aria asked.

"I'm not sure yet considering we all agreed on a pretty broad topic. All of us going as a character from a movie which leaves us millions of choices. I want it to be right." Will said as Aria chuckled.

"Well, if you're having trouble maybe we could go as a pair for our costumes?" Aria suggested as Will smirked.

"I'd be up for that, Aria. Who do you plan to go as?" He asked as Aria sat down on his desk close to him.

"That would be either Morticia Addams from the Addams Family or Daisy from the Great Gatsby." Aria said as Will though for a moment.

"Definitely go with Daisy. No disrespect to the Addams family but dead isn't that nice. Besides, I think you'd be great in the old school flapper dress." Will suggested as Aria smiled.

"All right, Daisy it is which means you'll be my Gatsby." She said as Will chuckled a bit and cleared his throat.

"Of course, Mrs. Buchanan. Thankfully our relationship is nowhere near dysfunctional as theirs. Though finding a costume is going to be interesting as it's more of trying to get a really fancy suit." Will said.

"We'll think of something, come on." Aria said as Will grabbed his backpack and they walked out of the library when Will's spider sense went off and he quickly crouched down, pretending to tie his shoe which saved him from a football to the head. "Ugh, you'd think those idiots would leave you alone by now."

The idiots she was referring to were Eugene _Flash_ Thompson and Alison DiLaurentis, the school's _it_ couple and biggest pair of bullies and jerks on the entire campus. Flash was captain of the SCU football team and leader of Gamma Tau Fraternity while Alison was head Cheerleader and head of the Theta Pi Sorority. Honestly the two were like a cliché out of an old college movie from the 80s. Both Flash and Alison had their little enclave of mindless drones that followed and agreed with them on everything, but it wasn't as large as it was last year. Will's guess was that those people finally matured and grew up and realized that life in college is not the same as life in high school. Still, that didn't stop Flash or Alison from trying to screw up Will's life on a regular basis. Flash and his gang tried to screw with him every chance they got and Alison made her mean, snide comments and spread rumors but Will rarely focused on that anymore since he had more important things to deal with like protecting the city. **(6)**

"Stay the hell still, Detmer and take your beating like a man!" Flash shouted as he grabbed a football from another teammate and threw it at Will who raised his backpack to block it.

"Just leave him alone, Flash!" Aria shouted as Will stood up.

"Oh, isn't that cute. The little nerd's groupie is protecting him because he can't defend himself." Alison mocked as her drones chuckled along. "Even though puberty finally decided to go right with him, guess he hasn't changed at all."

"Come on, Aria. Let's get out of here." He said as they kept walking. Will's spider sense went off again but decided not to do anything and let the football hit him in the back of his head and he hit the ground pretending like it actually hurt.

"Bulls eye!" Flash shouted as his teammates high-fived him and he and Alison walked away with their group. "See you later, Detmer!"

"Are they gone?" Will asked as Aria nodded so he stood up and wiped the dirt off his clothes. "Ugh, finally. Let's go before Mr. and Mrs. Future-lower-middle-class people with regrets come back."

"Why did you put up with that, Will? Fight back and tell Flash off." Aria told him.

"Aria, I've dealt with people like Flash my entire life and honestly, it wouldn't be worth it. I've gotten through more than my fair share of bullies and I'm fine with just pushing past it. Besides, I've got more important things to worry about." Will said as Aria looked at him.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Well, for starters, making sure you get your materials for your Halloween costume." Will joked as they walked through the main quad and over to the art's building.

"I'm serious, Will. You have super powers now and you could easily tear Flash to pieces. Or better yet, join the football team and leave him in the dust in front of his whole team?" Aria suggested as Will chuckled.

"While I would have loved to do something like that in high school, I'm too busy as it is and it's not like me. I wouldn't do something like that to someone…even to Flash." Will said as Aria looked at him.

"Even after all the crap he and his goons have given you? And Alison as well?" Aria said.

"I know and believe me there is a small part of myself that would love nothing more than to string Flash up the football goal post by his underwear in a massive wedgie or slip some of my webbing into Alison's shampoo so she gets stuck…but then I'd be just like them. And I'm not. I'm Will Detmer, lovable science nerd who got bit by a spider and became a superhero and is best friends with Aria Montgomery who is well on her way to becoming the next biggest fashion designer or writer." Will said with a smile as Aria smiled back.

"And she is glad to have met you." Aria said as she moved some hair behind her right ear. "My god, I can't believe there was a time when Emily and I almost became friends with Alison. This was before we met you, by the way. It was at our freshman orientation program."

"Well, I'm glad to have saved you from a life of being Alison's little minion. And I'm glad to have met you, Emily, and Spencer as well. I can't imagine my life now any different…and I don't think I'd be able to get through this whole Spider-man thing without you girls." He said with a smile as Aria smiled back and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek.

"Emily was right; we did do a good job with you." She said, causing him to chuckle.

"It's not that hard when you speak the truth." He replied as they made it to the art building. They walked through the building and over to the recycling room where all the art material was recycled or donated and saw the fabrics bin was filled to the brim that it was spilling over. "Well, this could take a while."

Will and Aria began sorting through the literal mound of rolls, blotches, and piles of clothing and fabric in the large dumpster-like recycling bin. They were looking for anything that Aria could use for her costume along with anything she could use to make Will's along with his new suits. Aria was sitting on the ground going through her pile as Will managed to use his enhanced strength and lifted a lot out of the dumpster and onto the ground to make it easier for her while he jumped in there and began sorting through stuff. Aria looked at some dark blue fabric someone must have used for a sewing project and it looked like some good stuff she could use so she set it aside.

"Aria, how's this?" She looked as Will stood up in the recycle bin and held light green fabric. She got up and walked over and touched the fabric it was perfect for her costume.

"Perfect. Is there any more?" She asked as he handed it to her and dove back down. She looked it over and began to think in her mind how she would go about sewing it up when she heard him struggle followed by a loud bang.

"OW!" Will shouted as Aria jumped onto the side of the recycle bin, pulled herself up and looked in to see Will rubbing his head.

"Are you ok?" She asked as he looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, pulled to hard and hit my head." He said as she chuckled. "But it wasn't for nothing. How's this?"

He held up a large roll of the fabric, enough for her costume. "Perfect." She said as she took it and looked it over. "I've got enough for my dress, and I snagged some excellent material from my head piece. Plus, I've got some stuff for making your new suits."

"Nice. And thank god we found a recycled black jacket that's my size in the recycle bin." Will said.

"It'll be perfect once I do a little fixing to the holes." Aria said as she took a bag and filled it up with the fabric she took. "Now we have to clean up."

Will looked at the large pile of fabrics on the ground that she looked through. "You mean I have to clean up?" Will asked as she nodded. "All right, I'll do it."

"Thank you." She said with a smile as Will sighed and got to work putting the fabrics back in the recycle bin. They met up with Emily and Spencer for dinner at the dining hall. Emily had some news as her girlfriend Maya would be visiting for the Halloween party as was Toby for Spencer. Speaking of Spencer, she told Will that she noticed Laurel was tenser and in a much more grim mood lately adding to Will's theory that he was right and that Sara Lance was the Canary. But as to who wanted her dead was another question along with should he go tell Captain Lance. Granted, it wasn't going to be an easy conversation. It's not like he could go up and say hi and that his youngest daughter died because he has a theory that she's the Canary. That conversation's likely to get him shot or thrown in jail so he'd have to think of another way.

After dinner, he hung out with Aria, Spencer, and Emily in their room as he had to help carry all the fabric and helped her organize everything. Emily and Spencer were hush-hush on what their costumes were going to be and kept Will from finding out. Afterward, he got suited up and went out on patrol to stop some bad guys and think about what and if he should tell Captain Lance.

He swung from a building to building when he heard an alarm go off and saw two robbers run out of a bank, get in a car and drive away. "Heh, talk about crooks with bad timing." He said as he swung after them.

Inside the car were Marko and O'Hirn. "Good, he's following us. Now, not too fast. If he doesn't follow us, no pay day." Marko said.

"I don't care about pay day, I want payback!" O'Hirn drove the car over to the nearby garbage processing plant. He drove them inside and they got out with guns and crowbars, looking at the front entrance and ready for any cops.

Spider-man flipped through the air from a web swing and landed on the roof, seeing O'Hirn and Marko through the warehouse skylight windows. "Oh, these two again. Well, at least their predictable." He said as he made his move, opening the skylight and crawling along the ceiling. He then landed on a garbage truck, webbed Marko from behind and yanked him towards him and put his arms behind him in an arm lock. "Oh, Marko. How many times do I have to kick your butt before you wise up?"

He let Marko go and ducked under a crowbar swing and kicked him in the face and back flipped onto the ground. "And where is your charming partner O'Hirn?" Spider-man asked as he then flipped forward to avoid a crowbar from him. He kicked Marko in the chest and knocked him back before webbing O'Hirn's legs and hands and throwing him to the ground. "Seriously you two, we have got to stop meeting like this. People are starting to talk."

He flipped through the air and webbed Marko to the roof of their getaway car. "Mostly about what doofs you guys are." He said when his spider sense went off and he heard some kind of weird pitched sound. He was then blasted by some kind of green-colored shockwave and smacked into a garbage truck. He fell to the ground and groaned in pain because that blast hurt more than anything he's been hit with so far.

"I reckon that came as a bit of a shocker, eh bug?" He heard as he looked up to see his attacker was wearing some kind of red and yellow combat suit made up of a weird fabric. The suit had a specialized technical belt with advanced technology but did recognize the large piece in the middle as a power regulator and judging by the size it was very powerful. The attacker had weird gauntlets on his wrists and was wearing a mask with a visor on the eyes. "Well, good. So will this."

The attacker raised his gauntlet as it charged up and fired a green shockwave but Spider-man quickly jumped high into the air and stuck to a ceiling rafter in time to save his butt and to see the damage that gauntlet could do. It fired a shockwave so powerful it blasted through the garbage truck, and then the one behind it. The attacker then readjusted his aim so Will quickly began jumping around the ceiling to avoid being hit. He jumped from rafter to rafter, shot a web line and swung away. "Hold still, son so I can put you out of your misery!"

Spider-man dodged another blast and landed on a rafter. "How about you put me out of my mystery? Who are you?" He asked.

"Call me…well, how's about Shocker?!" He shouted as he fired another blast but Spider-man jumped out of the way, grabbed onto a rafter, swung around and straight towards Shocker.

"How's about toast?!" Spider-man shouted as he swung from the rafter to hit Shocker with a double kick but once he made contact with the suit the belt glowed and a shockwave blasted out from the belt and knocked him back. Spider-man flew back and skid across the ground. "Ok, that didn't go as planned."

"Either you got less kick than a three-legged mule, or this here suit does more than protect me from my own powers. I guess clothes do make the man." Shocker said as he walked over, picked up Spider-man and blasted him again, sending him flying through the air and into a pile of garbage. Shocker walked towards Spider-man to finish the job when the sound of a truck going full speed was heard and he quickly moved out of the way as O'Hirn had gotten free, commandeered a garbage truck and was driving full speed to run Spider-man over.

Spider-man pushed some garbage off him and saw the truck driving straight at him so he shot a web line to the ceiling and pulled himself up to avoid being run over. O'Hirn crashed the truck into the garbage pile, thinking he had run over Spider-man. "Did I get him? Tell me I got him." O'Hirn said as he got out of the truck.

"All you got is on my nerves!" Shocker shouted as he blasted O'Hirn away. "Stay out of this, boy. The grown-ups were talking."

Spider-man dropped from the ceiling and put Shocker in a rear-naked choke. "Don't be too mad at O'Hirn. He just gets too cranky without his naaaaaaaaap." Shocker vibrated his suit until Spider-man was knocked off. Spider-man hit the ground and did a leg sweep followed by a scissor throw and knocked Shocker to the ground. "Not bad. You could hire yourself out as a kitty ride."

"Thanks." Shocker fired another blast but he was able to dodge it in time and back flipped through the air and landed on a garbage truck. "But I already got a job I love."

Shocker fired volley after volley of shockwave blasts but Spider-man was too quick and agile to get hit. Despite thinking that the closed off area would be an disadvantage to the hero, it was actually his saving grace because it gave Spider-man plenty of beams to jump off of, walls to run along, and space to shoot his webs and evade. Spider-man kept swinging and jumping from beam to beam as Shocker kept blasting at him, not giving him any time to catch his breath.

"Geez this guy is as relentless as Flash is stupid." He said to himself as he quickly jumped from a ceiling rafter and flipped over to another high beam before web zipping to the side to avoid another blast. "And I can't exactly get close enough to him."

He jumped through the air and fired some impact webbing at Shocker but he blew them to pieces before firing another blast which made him web zip to the ground. He fired web line at Shocker but heard a click as his web shooters were empty. "And that's not good." He said he quickly jumped through the air to avoid shockwave blast from Shocker but it was a trap and was hit with another blast mid-jump and knocked through the air and into the garbage press.

Spider-man fell into the press container and was stuck under some garbage as Shocker fired a small blast at the control panel and it turned on. The garbage press came to life and began to squeeze all the garbage together. Spider-man struggled to get free but was stuck under so much garbage when he saw an open refrigerator. "Oh, this is going to be cramped." He said as he managed to maneuver his way so he fell into the fridge.

Shocker watched as he saw the press do its job and kill Spider-man. "That ought to satisfy the Big Man." Shocker then touched his ear piece under his mask. "Extraction."

"Hey, what about me?" Marko shouted, stuck to the hood of the getaway car.

"Normally I'd leave you for the cops but I'm in too good a mood." Shocker then fired a blast and freed Marko, blasting him to the ground. A helicopter soon arrived and lowered down a ladder as Shocker climbed up and was whisked away.

"Is he dead?" O'Hirn asked Marko.

"Yeah, he's squashed now let's go!" Marko shouted as they left before the cops showed up.

The pressed finished its job and spat out the squished square of garbage onto the conveyor belt. Some grunting could be heard before the thing exploded outward from the inside and half of it was sent flying away from Spider-man pushing himself free from the fridge that saved his life. "Whew, talk about your tight spaces but I'm alive. A little sore but alive." Spider-man said as he stretched a bit. He then moved his arm to his face and took a sniff. "Egh…downside is I'm gonna smell like garbage. No, this smell gives garbage a bad name. This night sucks."

He took out his cellphone and called Aria. "Aria, it's me. Yeah, I don't suppose you made an extra body suit for me?" He asked.

" _No. Just the one. Why?"_ She asked.

"No reason. And on a completely different subject, would it be too much to ask you to head to the store and get me some hydrogen peroxide and baking soda?" Will questioned.

" _Will, what happened?"_ Aria was concerned.

"I had a run in with Marko and O'Hirn and it got…messy." Will told her.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Will wasn't in a great mood. O'Hirn and Marko got away, he got thrashed around by a dude in some kind of weird battle suit and to top it off he smelt like a dumpster on a hot day in July. He took the peroxide and baking soda Aria bought and mixed it with soap and bathed himself for hours to try and get rid of the smell. It mostly worked but there was still a lingering odor that was then covered up with a whole lot of perfume and cologne that Will was worried he'd explode if he was too close to an open flame. He did get a lot of weird looks from people because he smelled like the perfume section of a clothing store, but he was use to it. The problem was his suit. He got a new sweatshirt and Aria was stitching on a new black spider symbol, but the red body suit still smelled.

He walked out of his science lab with a sigh on his face as his classmates quickly walked away from him and his pungent odor of perfume, cologne, and whatever bad smell he had. "Hey, Will." Spencer walked up to him and got a whiff of his smell but did her best to hold her composure. "How's it going?"

"It's fine, Spencer. No need to pretend you can't smell me." Will said as Spencer nodded and held her nose.

"I take it you've had a rough day?" Spencer asked as her voice a bit nasally due to her holding her nose.

"You have no idea. It's like I'm back in middle school and the bullies threw me into the dumpster behind the school. It took a week for the smell to go away." Will remembered the week everyone made fun of him and avoided him because of his smell. "Thank god that peroxide solution got rid of most of it. Another shower with that stuff and I should be fine tonight."

"I still don't get what happened in the first place. You said some dude in a suit was waiting for you?" Spencer asked as they walked out of the science building and through campus.

"Definitely. O'Hirn and Marko just happened to be there and lured me to that garbage treatment plant where Shocker turned up. I may not have been at this for a while but I know staged when I see it." Will said.

"Then the serious and disconcerting question is who is he and why would someone send him after you? I mean, compared to the muggers and street criminals you take down on a daily basis this guy sounds completely different. Even when you take on the Cartels, they've never done something like this." Spencer said.

"Looks like they're stepping up their game, but it has to be someone with some serious money to build a suit like that. I mean, the technology to build a suit that can not only create and project sonic shockwaves that powerful but also devise a suit that protects the user is next level engineering." Will said as something connected in his mind. "Kind of the like the people who would commission a highly advanced drone to follow me."

"You think Shocker and the drone came from the same place?" Spencer asked.

"I'm starting to believe that in this line of work there is no such thing as coincidence." Will said.

Will had another class that day and after it was over, he went straight back to his dorm and took another shower with the peroxide solution. It finally got rid of the smell on his person which just left the suit which he washed with the peroxide solution as well. He put his suit and the new sweatshirt Aria stitched him in his backpack and went out into the city on foot as Will Detmer because he wanted to go pick up some things at the electronic store for the gadgets he was developing or as Aria dubbed them… _Spider-Tech_. He walked up to the Red, White, & Blue Electronics store to pick up some stuff but when he tried to open the door it was locked. He looked and saw Mr. Patel finish closing up.

"Excuse me, Mr. Patel; I need to get some stuff." Will said.

"Sorry, store's closed." Mr. Patel said in an anxious manner as Will looked at the sign and saw the store didn't close for another two hours.

"You don't close for another two hours." Will told him.

"Sign's wrong. We're closed now go away!" Mr. Patel shouted as he pulled the blind down in Will's face.

"Hmmm." Will thought to himself as something seemed fishy.

In the back alley behind the store, O'Hirn and Marko were moving some heavy duty electronics such as TV's and stereo systems into the back of a truck from robbing the electronics store.

"Come on, we better hurry. We got to cash in fast. Once the news Hammerhead spread that Spider-man's croaked, it'll be open season for every hood in the city." Marko said as he and O'Hirn lugged a heavy TV to the back of a truck.

"Ugh, I still can't believe I didn't cash in his chips myself." O'Hirn then stopped to take a few sniffs. "Something stinks."

"Oh, still?!" They heard as Spider-man was in the back of the truck. "I washed this suit five times!"

"You!" O'Hirn shouted as Spider-man webbed their hands to the TV. He then jumped out of the truck and landed on the TV they were carrying and webbed their hands and bodies to the TV while webbing their feet together so they couldn't run.

"And now that you troglodytes have deduced that the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated…" Spider-man stopped as O'Hirn and Marko looked at him funny. "I'm not dead. Never mind, just tell Shocker I want a rematch. You can call the cops now."

Spider-man swung away as Mr. Patel ran inside to call the cops. "I really, really hate that guy." O'Hirn said.

"This is really, really getting heavy." Marko said as they both fell to the ground.

Spider-man swung through the city and stopped 4 attempted car jackings, 6 store robberies, one very dangerous attempted bank robbery, 2 attempted kidnappings and a crazy idiot in a speeding car. The news had spread to all the criminals in the city that whatever Hammerhead said about Spider-man's death was wrong. Speaking of which, who the hell is Hammerhead and why did he name himself after a shark?

Spider-man swung through the air and landed on the side of a building as he felt his phone go off and saw it was Yuri. "Hey, Yuri."

" _Good, I'm glad you picked up. Word on the street is that you were dead."_ Yuri said to him.

"Well, I'm glad to tell you that those words were lies. And I have an idea on who spread them. I just stopped Marko and O'Hirn yet again and they mentioned someone called Hammerhead." He said as he heard Yuri sigh. "And I'm guessing by your sigh that it's not someone with an affinity for sharks."

" _No. Hammerhead is a lot worse. He's a long standing scumbag who used to be a head enforcer for the Maggia when they were around. He managed to avoid a prison sentence on a technicality and ever since, we've gotten word that he's gone to work for some new boss in the city and it's not the usual Bertinelli, Bratva, or cartels."_ Yuri said as something clicked in Will's head.

"You think he went to work for the mysterious crime boss we've been going after for the past month." He said.

" _Great minds think alike. It lines up with Hammerheads style and this new boss is someone we still don't have a proper ID on and the only things we do know is that he seems to have an entire legion of street enforcers at his disposal. That was Hammerhead specialty in the Maggia along with killing people with his metal-plated forehead."_ Yuri said.

"Oh, now I get why he's called Hammerhead." He said. "Maybe this can help. When I took down Marko and O'Hirn they said that it was Hammerhead who spread the news I was dead and I think he's the one who hired Shocker to try and kill me."

" _Shocker?"_ Yuri asked.

"It's a long story but the short version is that Hammerhead hired a guy in a high-tech vibration suit to try and take me down." He told her.

" _Ok…that's a first. I'll do some digging and see if I can find any leads on who could be funding Hammerhead and where he got that tech. In the meantime, I've got another suspected warehouse you can hit and proudly announce to Hammerhead that you're not dead."_ Yuri suggested.

"I'm all for screwing with the bad guys. Let her rip, Detective." He replied.

" _It's a warehouse on the corner of Theebs and Adams. It's an old chemical plant that used to belong to Queen Consolidated."_ Yuri told him.

"Roger that. I'll check it out." He said as he shot a web line and swung away.

He swung through the city and landed on the side of a tall building across the street from the warehouse. He zoomed his vision on the rooftop of the warehouse and saw four guys walking around with sniper rifles and assault rifles. "Yeah, that's not suspicious at all." He then crouched on the side of the building before he launched himself forward in a massive leap and did a backflip through the air. He soared through the air and fired four shots of impact webbing that hit all the look outs with direct shots. The impact webbing webbed them to the ground and encased them in web cocoons so they couldn't reach their phones or walkie talkies for help.

"Not to toot my own horn but I'm getting better and better with that." He said to himself and he walked over to window ceiling entrance and pried it open. "And now without further ado…"

He jumped down and landed on a ceiling rafter to see about 60 men all over the warehouse, some on guard duty while others were lounging about. "About 60 idiots whose butts I have to kick."

He did a quick look around the entire warehouse and saw what looked like a giant printing press and it was churning out money like MTV churns out mind-numbing reality TV shows. The chemical vats, molds, and substantial presence meant he stumbled upon this mysterious boss's forgery operation. Time to shut them down.

He looked around and took note of the positions of the men on over watch with snipers and machine guns. There were ten men in total with snipers and about a dozen walking around with assault rifles. He'd have to take out the snipers first to make this easier. He saw a sniper directly below him so he shot a web at the thug's gun and yanked it quickly, hitting the guy under the chin and knocking him out. He shot another web line at the thug and then threw him up to the ceiling and webbed him there. He moved to another rafter and did another silent takedown, webbing a sniper and encasing him in a web cocoon and stuck him to the wall.

He saw two snipers together on a railing so he aimed his web shooters and fired two globs of impact webbing, webbing them up and sticking them to the railing. He jumped over to another rafter above another sniper and shot a small venom blast that caused the sniper's body to seize up and freeze. He fired a web line and pulled him before encasing him in a web cocoon and sticking him to the ceiling. He did the same thing for the last five snipers and about two thugs with machine guns. He reloaded his web shooters with fresh cartridges and decided to take out the rest. He saw a group of ten thugs by a poker table and got an idea to make his entrance.

The goons working for Hammerhead sat at the table playing a round of poker when all of a sudden Spider-man dropped down onto the table in a crouch. "Hey, guys mind if I play a hand?! I'm not great with poker but I'm totally willing to learn!" He said as shot two web lines in the faces of two goons and yanked down hard, causing them to smack their faces onto the table and then back flipped through the air and shot two web lines at the backs of two different goons. When he landed, he pulled on the web lines and threw the two goons into a group of 5, sending them all to the ground and fired a glob of impact webbing that stuck them all together like a giant gumball.

"It's Spider-man!" One of the goons shouted as they all grabbed their knives, baseball bats, crowbars and assorted blunt objects.

"Really? Where?! Oh, I just get so nervous when I meet a celebrity!" Spider-man shouted as he punched the goon into the air with an uppercut. He jumped and kicked the guy through the air before firing a web line and doing a swing kick through a group of goons and knocked them over like bowling pins. He fired more webs and stuck some of them to the ground before ducking under a baseball bat to the head and spin kicked the goon in the face. He flipped through the air and landed on a goon's chest before jumping off and firing web bullets at some goons, knocking them back. He fired a web line at a large stack of shelves and pulled, causing it topple over some bad guys and trap them. He quickly back flipped to avoid a bullet and fired a web line at the gun and yanked it away before spinning it through the air and hitting a guy in the face with it.

He slid between a guy's legs and kicked him in the back into a group of goons, punched some more goons in the face, flipped over a goon, webbed his face and slammed him down onto the ground before he back-flipped and kicked a goon in chin and knocked him on his ass. He did another back flip and webbed an electrical panel, yanked it free and threw it at a group of goons giving them all a mild electric shock. He then kicked them all over the place and knocked them out with spin kicks, jumping spin kicks, spinning hook kicks and tornado kicks.

"I've been wondering what kind of benefits does working for the bad guys give you? Paid lunches, extra vacation days, bond seminars?!" he shouted as a very large tank-like fellow that could give O'Hirn a run for his money attempted to tackle Spider-man so he jumped over him. He fired a web line at the tank's face as the tank pulled back and pulled Spider-man to him. Spider-man used that momentum and punched the tank in the gut, did a double fist upper-cut and then stomped on his chest. He flipped off the tank's body and threw out two punches to his side and hit two goons in the face before webbing the tank to the ground and shooting another web line at a goon. He pulled him closer and back flip kicked him in the face. Spider-man did another back flip and web threw a barrel at a goon before firing a venom blast at the last group of thugs, rendering them unable to move.

"And done. I'd give myself a ten out of ten for that one." Spider-man said to himself as he pat himself on the back and then webbed up all the goons together. "Yuri, it looks like the warehouse was the home base for some kind of money forging operation. There's plenty of evidence here for a slam dunk case and plenty of idiots who might want to give you some useful information for a lighter sentence."

" _We've just got reports of gunshots at that location so we're on our way. Nicely done. Glad to have you back."_ Yuri said.

"Oh, you do care about me. I knew I could weaken that hard and crusty exterior you put up. So maybe we can get matching T-shirts now?" He said and heard Yuri sigh.

" _I'm hanging up now."_ She said as she ended the call.

"Come on, Yuri. It'll be fun. Yuri? Yuri? Hello?" Spider-man called out.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, Will took another shower with the peroxide/soap solution just to make sure the smell was gone, and it finally was. His suit still stunk a bit, but he was washing it again so hopefully it would be fine after that. Here was hoping. Will was currently in Dr. Connors lab going over some the data on Pinky and seeing how he was doing along with triple checking the data for the next serious of tests. His attention was brought away from the tests he was running because the scans and blood samples on Pinky were finished. Will looked them over and blinked a few times to make sure his eyes weren't screwing with him before he tripled checked the data.

"Oh my god…it's worked." Will was beyond thrilled to see the data. He heard the door open and saw Dr. Connors walk in. "Dr. Connors, look at this! The Recombinator worked on Pinky. The Tumor's gone!"

"What?" Dr. Connors ran over and looked over the data of Pinky's latest scan and it showed that the tumor was completely gone. Pinky was now 100% healthy, even more so for a typical rat his age. "We did it. We actually did it."

"I never doubted us for a second. We actually did it." Will and Dr. Connors hugged each other to congratulate a job well done and a monumental first step in all their research. "I knew we could do it."

"After all these years, it's still so hard to believe." Dr. Connors was a bit shaken and wasn't sure what to do next. He had worked for decades on this research and to see it work in front of his eyes was jarring.

"We did it, Dr. Connors. We actually fully healed and reversed a tumor. This is incredible." Will said.

"You're right. And now we can move onto cancerous tumor treatment. If this works like it did with Pinky…then we'll have a viable cure for Cancer." Dr. Connors said as Will smiled.

"I know it will work, Dr. Connors. This past year has done a lot to show me that nothing's impossible and this right here is one example of it. We're closer than ever before." Will said. "And you'll have me by your side to help however I can."

"And I'd proud to have you with me, Will. Now, shall we get started on the preliminary tests?" Dr. Connors asked as Will nodded and the two got to work on simulations for cancerous tumor treatments. It would take some tests but if they got that right, they'd have a viable cancer treatment that wouldn't just control it or send it into remission but actually cure it.

The two spent hours working on new samples for various cancer strains and additives to the RNA vial. Adding in new recombinant DNA samples, removing certain protein strains and even adjusting myosin levels for the new treatment was a lot of strenuous work but Will worked best when he was pushed harder and compared to fighting Shocker, this was a piece of cake. Around 8 o'clock, Dr. Connors and Will were on their 50th RNA sample adjustment for the cancer treatment. Will was adjusting the protein levels in the new sample when he saw Dr. Connors fighting the urge to fall asleep.

"Dr. Connors!" Will shouted as Dr. Connors jumped in his chair. "Maybe we should call it a night?"

"No, I'm fine." He said as he wiped his eyes and shook his head to wake himself up. "We can keep going."

"We've done a lot today. We've already got a steady RNA strain and now we're just adjusting it for the Recombinator. We can do that tomorrow. Something tells me that your wife would appreciate that and I know her well enough to not upset her." Will joked causing Dr. Connors to laugh.

"Yes, Martha can be like that." Dr. Connors said.

"You can head home. I'll clean and lock up and see you tomorrow." Will said as Dr. Connors nodded.

"Good idea." Dr. Connors got up and placed his lab coat on the coat rack and grabbed his bag. He looked back and saw Will saving all the data they had worked on and powered down the equipment. "Will."

"Yeah, Dr. Connors?" He asked.

"I don't know if I said it enough but I'm glad to have you here working with me." Dr. Connors said as Will smiled.

"Please, the honor's mine Dr. Connors. Out of all my professors here, you're the one that gets me the most and helped me foster my talents in science." He said.

"Your talents didn't need any more fostering, Will. Your mind is already brilliant and our work here is enough proof to anyone." Dr. Connors replied as Will smiled.

"I still have trouble believing any of this is real." He said as Dr. Connors raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Connors asked.

"Well, back in middle school a lot of my classmates didn't peg me more than anything than a nerd and yet here I am working with one of the country's greatest scientific minds on a new scientific method for curing cancer." Will said while thinking, _and gaining super powers and being a superhero_. "Life has a funny way of working out."

"That is one of the universal truths that not even science can explain. You've got a big future, Will…don't ever doubt that." Dr. Connors said as Will nodded.

"Just one question…will I get a mention when you accept your Nobel for this?" Will joked causing Dr. Connors to chuckle.

"You'll get more than a mention. Goodnight, Will." Dr. Connors bid him a goodbye.

"Goodnight, Dr. Connors." Will saw him leave and got to cleaning up. He put away the Recombinator and all their research in secure files and drawers. He grabbed one more large vial of web fluid and made his way back to his dorm room to grab his suit. He swiped his ID to unlock the door and walked in to see Aria and Emily in his room using his science tools for making something. "You know, I adjusted your ID's, so they open my door but I'm pretty sure I said to let me know."

"We did. We sent you a text." Emily said as Will took out his phone and saw they did send him a text about two hours ago.

"Huh, how about that?" Will said to himself as he put his backpack down and placed his new container of web fluid on his desk. "So, what brings you ladies to my one-man bachelor pad and hijacking all my tools?"

"Bachelor pad? Have you had a girl in here since we last spoke?" Aria asked as Will chuckled.

"You know me better than that, Aria. I've never had a girlfriend." Will said as he realized what he said. "I really need to stop saying that out loud."

"We're here to use your science tools for our costumes and I'm currently working on one of your new ones." Aria said.

"Oh. I thought you made the one I'm wearing now without my tools." He said.

"I did but I also used the stuff I had at my internship at Kingsley so here I use what I have and right now that means your stuff, which by the way, your soldering iron is way better than a hot glue gun." Aria said as she was using his soldering iron to stick some gems on a dress.

"Fair enough." Will said as he walked over and sat down at his desk and turned on his laptop. When he turned on his laptop, he was immediately met with his desktop background image which was a selfie of him and the girls at the dining hall. Aria had taken the selfie, so her face was closer to the camera. She was smiling while Spencer and Will were in mid-chew when the photo was taken, and Emily shielded her face with her hand to not have the photo taken. It was a funny moment and he liked it. It reminded him of the good old days and was also a reminder of three of the four reasons he fought to protect the city. His mother was one of them, Aria, Spencer, and Emily were the last three.

"Oh, that's a cute photo." Aria said as she got up behind him and looked at his desktop background.

"Not really." Emily said.

"That's because you were shielding your face." Aria told her.

"I don't know what you're so embarrassed about, Emily. You're very photogenic." Will added.

"Yup. You'd make one hell of a model if you wanted to." Aria said causing Emily to chuckle.

"Thanks, you two, but I'm fine with swimming." Emily said.

"Are you sure? I think Maya would be more than ok with it." Will said when his phone went off and he saw it was Spencer. "We'll come back to this later."

"No, we won't." Emily told him as Will chuckled and answered.

"Hey, Spence." Will greeted.

" _Will, are you near a TV because turn it on to the local news."_ She said as Will turned on the TV in his room to the local news and saw the news reporter covering small tremors throughout the city. " _I'm at the DA's office and everyone's going crazy about these tremors. They think it's another earthquake."_

"It's not an earthquake. It's got to be Shocker. Spence, does the DA's office have any info of the epicenters?" Will asked.

" _Yeah. We do."_ She said as Will brought up a map of the city. Emily and Aria watched as Will got to work.

"Read them to me." He said.

" _24_ _th_ _and Broadway…54_ _th_ _and Madison…Oak and Adams street."_ Spencer read them as Will marked the courses on the map of the city and saw that all the epicenters for the quakes were equally spaced out in a straight line.

"That doesn't look like an earthquake." Emily said.

"It's because it's not. The epicenters and equally spaced out and heading in a straight line uptown. It's Shocker's trail of breadcrumbs for me. And I think I can find out where his next stop will be." Will said as he used the same pattern and Shocker would likely be at Greg's and Marc's next. "Thanks, Spencer. Stay there until you get word that it's safe."

" _I will but what about you?"_ she asked as Will got up and pulled his suit out of his backpack.

"I'll be fine." He told her as he took off his shirt. "Time to go to work."

"Will, Shocker nearly killed you last time." Aria was worried for his safety. Shocker was different compared to the regular criminals he dealt with.

"I'll be fine, Aria. He got me by surprise that's all. I'll be ready." He said as he took off his pants and quickly put on his body suit.

"How can you stop him? You said that last time you couldn't even get close." Emily was worried as well that he could get killed but that didn't deter him as he put on his web shooters and slipped on his sweatshirt.

"I'll think of something. Don't worry, Spider-man's got this." He said as he slipped on his mask and jumped out his window and web swung away.

"Please be safe." Aria said as they watched him swing away.

Spider-man web swung through the city until he got to Greg's and Marc's street and stopped at an old rundown theater that was on schedule to be demolished. One of Hammerhead's street enforcers was on the sidewalk watching as he saw Spider-man swing through the air and land on the roof of the old theater.

"He's here." He spoke into a walkie talkie.

Spider-man got in through the old ceiling and lowered himself upside via his web into the old theater. "Here Shocky, Shocky, Shocky!" Spider-man called out as he hung upside in his signature spider perch. His spider sense went off as he quickly flipped through the air to avoid a shockwave and landed on the second-floor balcony to see Shocker step out from the stage.

"I really thought I ended you, old son but you've got more lives than a bag of cats. Still, I reckon we can remedy that situation." Shocker said as he fired another blast, but Spider-man jumped out of the way. Shocker's blast blew apart the balcony as he fired another blast, but Spider-man web zipped to avoid it. He web threw some old chairs at Shocker who blasted them to pieces.

"If you fight like this, I don't think you can remedy any situation." Spider-man said as he flipped through the air to avoid another barrage of sonic blasts. He backflipped four times in a row to avoid another blast and jumped into the air and stuck to an old support pillar. "And seriously? Bag full of cats? What was the saying to stubborn to die not hip enough for you?"

He swung through the air to avoid another series of sonic blasts as he fired some webbing which Shocker blew apart. "I admire your spunk son. Not enough to let you go, of course, that'd be bad for business." Shocker said as he fired more blasts, but Spider-man kept dodging. He flipped through the air and landed on the second-floor balcony and ran alongside it as Shocker fired a continuous shockwave that blasted it to pieces. He fired a web line and swung through the air and stuck to the ceiling.

"Whose business?! Who do you really work for?!" Spider-man shouted.

"Can't tell you the who." Shocker replied.

"Then tell me the why? What did your friendly Spectacular Spider-man ever do to you?" He asked.

"Oh, it' ain't nothing personal, Hoss. Simple truth is if a man's a man, he honors his responsibilities and you're one of mine." Shocker fired another blast, but Spider-man web swung over him and landed on a support pillar. He fired a web blast at Shocker's face to distract him and fired a web at the chandelier and yanked it down. It fell through the air and landed on Shocker, but his suit's defense mechanism released a shockwave that destroyed it.

Shocker growled at him and fired another blast, but Spider-man flipped through the air and landed on the wall. He looked and saw the damage Shocker had done to the support pillar and got an idea. "Well, the building is condemned, and it would save the city on destruction fees." He said to himself as he fired a web at the stage's curtain and pulled it on top of Shocker who blasted it apart in anger.

"You know it really ain't wise to make a dangerous man look foolish!" Shocker shouted as he fired a blast at Spider-man, but he jumped out of the way.

"You don't need my help for that! And it's part of my charm!" Spider-man shouted he flipped through the air. "Besides, have you looked in a mirror lately?! I know babies with a better sense of style than you. And as someone who had the worst style that's saying something."

Shocker fired another series of blasts, but he kept missing and was blasting apart more pillars and the walls of the theater. "Not to mention how incompetent you are. I mean, you've had more shots at me than Marco and O'Hirn." He said as he backflipped and avoided another blast which decimated a support pillar. "And that is just sad."

"Them boys are punks. This is my profession!" Shocker shouted as he fired a dual blast at Spider-man, but he swung away and avoided it.

"Oh, you do this for a living? _With that accent I was thinking rodeo clown!"_ Spider-man shouted, using a bad southern accent on that past sentence.

"Don't you mock me, boy!" Shocker shouted as he fired another blast and Spider-man swung down and landed on a support pillar.

"I mock. I'm a mocker." Spider-man shouted as Shocker fired a blast at the support pillar Spider-man was on. Spider-man was clinging to the pillar as Shocker's blast sent the part he was clinging to clean off and through the air. "Also, a puller, a tugger, and a yanker."

He fired two web lines at two support pillars and using the momentum Shocker's blast gave him, he pulled the pillars clean apart as that was the straw that broke that camels back and every other support pillar in theater began to break like a line of dominos. The entire building shook violently as large chunks of the ceiling came down along with the walls and everything else. Shocker ran for the exit but was cut off as he saw the roof coming down on him. He raised his suit's shockwave defense, but the piling force of the crumbling ceiling was too much, and it gave way burying Shocker underneath a lot of rubble.

Spider-man stood off to the side at the now completely destroyed theater with Shocker unconscious and out of commission. "And that is what they call bringing down the house." Spider-man said as he took a dramatic bow.

The street enforcer stayed on the street and saw Spider-man hang up Shocker by a street light and strip him of his suit for the police. Once he saw that, he immediately called Hammerhead to let him know. Hammerhead was with the Smythe's at the secret research lab because the Big Man wanted him to touch base with them about Spider-man.

"Right, got it." Hammerhead hung up and looked at Spencer and Alistair. "You two owe my boss some answers. The bug is still alive, and he just took out Montana. So much for your next generation battle suit."

"Our battle suit was perfection. If the fault lays anywhere it's on your man Montana. Clearly, he wasn't as ready to take on Spider-man because if he was then he never would have been captured." Alistair told him.

"Or maybe your old man is losing his touch? It was a simple task and even he couldn't do that." Hammerhead said.

"Or maybe your so-called Enforcers aren't as tough as you think they are? Our technology is the best in the world and the fault doesn't lie with us but with the men you see fit to use them." Alistair told him.

"Calm yourself, Alistair." Spencer Smythe said to his son.

"The Big Man still wants Spider-man dealt with and so far, he ain't impressed with the service you two've been providing." Hammerhead said. "If he doesn't get his money's worth, then we might find someone who can."

"Calm yourself, Hammerhead. I've anticipated for any situation and thanks to the information our little reconnaissance drone recorded, we've gotten insight into the Spider-man and his abilities. With a little tinkering to a military project, I've designed something I believe your Big Man will be most happy with and can take down Spider-man." Spencer said as he took out a tablet and pressed a few buttons. The floor split apart to reveal a large metal trap door and then a metal podium rose to unveil the weapon. "I give you the Spider Slayer Mark 1, codename: Black Widow."

On the podium was a highly advanced large 8-legged spider drone. It was around the size of a tank and colored black and red. It had high-powered piston legs for increased mobility and dexterity, six hover jets underneath the body of the spider for flight, a 225-degree field of vision thanks to highly advanced cameras and lenses placed on the face, a hardened tensile steel/titanium outer shell with multiple onboard weapons and equipment made especially for dealing with Spider-man. **(7)**

"A simple wall crawling vigilante will be unable to stop the might of the Black Widow and due to careful analysis from our reconnaissance drone she is equipped with the perfect countermeasures to bring the wall crawler down." Spencer Smythe said. "A few more weeks of adjustments and last-minute tinkering and the Black Widow will bring you your Spider-man on a silver platter."

"Excellent." Hammerhead said with a smirk.

 **End of Chapter 2**

 **1). Kain Parker's red and black Scarlet Spider suit**

 **2). The Black Suit**

 **3). Spider-man 2099 blue and red suit**

 **4). Spider-man Future Foundation suit**

 **5). Ben Reilly's Spider-man Suit**

 **6). Flash Thompson from Sam Raimi's Spider-man 1 and Alison DiLaurentis from PLL.**

 **7). Black Widow Spider Slayer from Spider-man the animated series.**

 **I hoped you guys like this chapter. It just took up the first two episodes of Season 3 and I thought that's how someone like Will would interact with Team Arrow in those situations. He'd show up to stop Vertigo and Komodo while not aware of everything going on with them except from the things he hears like Laurel mentioning Sara's death. Will could piece together that information himself. He's kind of aware of Hammerhead and faced his first supervillain in Shocker. He'll only face more as time goes on. And we've got some more information in his past with Thea and it's not the best. It'll be interesting to see them interact again after all these years. Will's research and relationship with Dr. Connors will continue to grow. I kind of like the relationship in Spider-man the Animate Series between Dr. Connors and Peter as they got very close and he even asked Dr. Connors to give Mary Jane away at their wedding. With his dad dead, Will kind of looks at Dr. Connors in a fatherly like manner. Their research will continue and the seeds have been placed for the Lizard.**

 **Next chapter, Will's suspicion on Sara's death is only fueled by Laurel's behavior and the fact he saves her from getting the crap kicked out of her. He learns that Malcolm Meryln is alive and then a weird cyber-terrorist group attacks the city which lets Will flex his tech skills and impress Captain Lance. Until then.**

 **Also, for the pairing, I've narrowed it down to between WillxAria or WillxEmily. Spencer I'll stick with her boyfriend Toby because I think they're better as friends. So, please let me know what you think because it could really go either way with either of them. Also, with Will's spider suits, I'm kind of leaning towards the Ben Reily Spider-man suit as his regular suit. He'll get an eventual upgrade from STAR Labs when he eventually meets them but that's way off. He makes do with what Aria makes him and Ben Reily's Spider-man suit seems like a natural progression from his Scarlet Spider suit. But let me know what you think and what kind of technical suits and gadgets he should make.**

 **William Alexander Detmer-Age 19: Birthday, October 8** **th** **, 1994**

 **Moniker: The Spectacular Spider-man**

 **Appearance:** Tyler Posey

 **Uniform:** Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit. Mark 1 Web Shooters.

 **Skills:** Genius intellect with 250 IQ, Super human strength, Super human speed, Super human reflexes, Super human agility and balance, Super senses, accelerated healing factor, wall-crawling/adhesive stick, Spider-Sense, Night Vision, and enhanced range vision, Bio-Electrokinesis/Venom strike-blast

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man, Arrow or any above mentioned products. All rights belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**

 **Don't worry, there will be more updates this month as a Holiday gift for all my readers. Sorry for the delay but a computer crash and hard drive problems screw you over. Keep watch for updates to some of my others stories and enjoy the holidays. Spend time with family and loved ones, remember the people we've lost this year and aid those who aren't as lucky as us. Happy Holidays and be safe!**


	3. Chapter 3

**After taking down Shocker, the Big Man begins to think out of the box in taking down Spider-man and unfortunately for Spider-man, the Smythes are more than capable of creating new super villains to screw with him. But he won't have to worry about that because he's got to deal with the return of Malcolm Merlyn and his birthday. Not entirely sure which one will be the hardest but one thing for sure: if it was easy, it wouldn't be fun. Enjoy!**

 **The Spectacular Spider-man: The Bird Man and the Magician**

 **October 2014-Starling City**

It was evening in Starling City as people were heading home from work or on their way to dinner or a night out. Barreling down Main Street was a car filled with a bunch of idiotic delinquents who just robbed a store. "Ha! Man, look at all this cash!" The guy in the driver's seat said as he looked at the small bag filled with cash.

"Yeah, easiest job ever and no Spider-man to stop us." The driver said when all of a sudden Spider-man landed on the hood of the car.

"Tadaa! Say my name and I magically appear!" He said. The two delinquents in the front fired their pistols at the windshield to kill him, but Spider-man flipped onto the top of the car. One of the guys in the backseat leaned out to shoot him but Spider-man kicked his gun out of his hand, webbed him and shot a web line at a light post. "Here's your stop!"

The dude was yanked out of the car as Spider-man flipped to the side and webbed up the other guy in the back seat and shot a web line at another light post. He jumped back onto the roof of the car and yanked out the guy in the shotgun seat and webbed him to a telephone pole. The driver then reached his hand out and fired some wild shots.

"Young man, stop that right now or I will pull this car over!" Spider-man quipped, flipping onto the hood of the car. "Or better yet, don't!"

He yanked the driver out of the car and slammed down on the hood of the car, shooting web lines at two buildings and forcing the car to a stop. "RAH!" Spider-man exerted himself and the car was forced to a stop. Once the car stopped, he backflipped off it and onto the ground.

"Geez, what is it with drivers in this city? Or am I just a crime magnet." Spider-man said before turning, and firing impact webbing at the driver who was trying to run away. The driver was hit and stuck to a tree. "You know what, don't answer that question."

He jumped into the air and web swung away from the crime scene. "It was all supposed to be simple. Head into the city to pick up some groceries for mom but no…end up stopping some idiot delinquents who couldn't stand to stay in school and live a normal life." He said to himself as he swung down the block on the way to a nearby grocery store but then he heard the sound of glass breaking and people shouting in fright. "And where there's one group of delinquents, there's another."

Two masked gunmen had stormed into a small family owned grocery store with one holding everyone else at gunpoint while the other forced the owner to dump all the money from the register into a bag.

"Hurry up!" The thug shouted as he pointed his pistol at the owner's wife. The man hurried up and dumped all the cash from the register into the bag. "Let's go."

He tapped his partner on the shoulder and ran out of the store as his partner grabbed some muffins with a smirk and followed him. "Coming through!" They heard as Spider-man swung by and shot webs at them, yanking them into the air. They flailed their arms as they were hoisted up like ragdolls. Spider-man swung by and spun around on a light pole and stuck the webs there, leaving the criminals hanging upside down and completely helpless. Spider-man fired a few more webs to ensnare the bad guys in web cocoons and then webbed their mouths.

"You two are seriously bad if you're trying to knock over a family run grocery store. Shame on you." Spider-man said, webbing the bag of money. He flipped through the air and landed by the grocery store door. "I believe this is yours."

Spider-man tossed the bag of money to the owner. "Thank you, Spider-man." The owner and his wife thanked him while everyone else in the store took out their phones to take photos.

"Don't mention it." He replied as he also tossed the owner the muffins they took. "Don't forget these. Have a safe night."

He turned to leave when he stopped himself at the door. "Actually, do you think I could do some shopping?" Spider-man asked as the owner and his wife were momentarily confused but then nodded.

 **Ten minutes later…**

 **** ** _Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-man. Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-man._** ****Will sang to himself as he swung through the city with a bag of groceries. In the bag was a carton of milk, a bunch of bananas, whip cream, cherries, chocolate sauce, and some ice cream. Kind of weird shopping list from his mom but food is food.

 **** ** _Spider-man, Spider-man, shops for groceries like anyone can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves to do good in the community…_** that doesn't sound right ** _. Look out, here comes the Spider-man_** ****

He swung through the city and made his way to down an alley where he left his backpack and got changed back into his normal clothes so he could take a bus back home. Swinging through the city was easy but the suburbs were a lot harder and he didn't want anyone to see him heading there and thinking that Spider-man lived in the suburbs. The bus took its regular route and stopped at the bus stop on the intersection by Will's house. He walked down the sidewalk and up to his house, seeing the lights in the kitchen on. He took out his house key and unlocked the front door and walked in.

"Mom, I'm home and I got the groceries you needed!" Will called as he put his backpack on the ground and locked the door.

"SURPRISE!" He heard and turned to see his mom, Aria, Spencer, Emily, Dr. Connors, Martha Connors, and their son Billy shouting surprise in the kitchen which was decorated with birthday decorations and a large birthday cake with a 20 number candle on it.

"What's going on?" Will was confused as he walked into the kitchen.

"It's your birthday, Will. What, did you lose your brain today?" His mother said as she walked over, kissed him on the cheek and hugged him.

"Sort of. Left it behind in a grocery store." Will joked when Aria hugged him and he hugged back.

"Well, let's fill that empty void in your head with cake, ice-cream and Mrs. Connors famous cream puffs." She said and Will went eye-wide.

"No way, her famous cream puffs that we tasted last year at the Science departments holiday party?" Will hope he was right as Martha and Dr. Connors chuckled.

"Yes. Now while I only make them for special occasions, the birthday for my husband's star pupil and lab assistant seemed like a good one." Martha said when Billy grabbed one.

"Yeah, hanging out with Will is awesome and any chance to eat my mom's cream puffs is great." The 10 year old happily ate the cream puff as Martha and Dr. Connors gave him a look.

"Well, I'm not going to argue with a 10-year old. Let's celebrate!" Will shouted in glee and everyone clapped. Will blew out his birthday candles and got to eating May's famous spaghetti and meatballs for his birthday dinner. It was nice seeing everyone that Will cared about enjoying a nice dinner and having a nice night in. Billy stuffed his face with spaghetti as Martha and Dr. Connors did their best to try and keep him clean and from getting sauce all over his face and clothes while Emily and Aria fought over the last meatball which ended up with Spencer sneaking in and stealing it. That led to Emily and Aria trying to kill her and May trying to stop them. It brought a smile to his face seeing everyone he cared about having fun. These little moments made everything he did as Spider-man worth it.

After dinner they ate Will's birthday cake and made ice-cream sundaes which is what May's grocery store run was about. Will took another slice of the cake and chuckled at the cartoony image of Spider-man on the cake and noticed it had the number 7 on it. He smiled at Dr. Connors and Martha as they ate their piece of cake and saw Billy sitting at the kitchen counter with three empty cake plates and was eating his second ice-cream sundae.

"Thanks again for doing this, mom." Will thanked her as May smiled.

"While I'd like to take credit for this, I couldn't do it without the help of your three lovely friends." May gestured to Spencer, Aria, and Emily who smiled. "They came to me last week and wanted to do something for your birthday and considering how crazy your second life can be, we thought a nice night in would do you some good."

"And it did. Thanks, girls." Will said and they smiled.

"Of course. You've been keeping the city safe so us taking care of you is the least we could do." Emily said.

"Thanks, Em. This is great." Will said as he one-arm hugged her. "But I have to ask, why does the Spider-man cake have a 7 on it?"

"Oh, I wanted to get you a cake with Spider-man on it so I told the baker I was getting it for a 7-year-old which sounded more plausible than a 20-year-old college student who is secretly Spider-man." Aria said as Will tapped his head.

"Smart." He replied.

"And it happened to work out that you have 7 people here. Happy coincidence." Aria said so Will hugged her.

"Thanks, Aria. It's perfect. And it's good to know that I make a cute birthday cake cartoon. Really starting to wish I trademarked my license." Will joked when Dr. Connors walked over.

"Will, Martha and I wanted to give you your gift now so we can get Billy home before his sugar rush kicks in." Dr. Connors said. They all looked and saw Billy finish his second ice-cream sundae.

"That's probably a good idea." Will replied so Martha walked over and handed him a nicely wrapped clothing box. Will opened it to reveal a sparkling white lab coat with his name embroidered on the pocket square. "You got me my own lab coat?"

Will excitedly took it out of the box and looked it over. "Rather than use the ones at the lab, it's time you get your own. Every scientist deserves their own lab coat." Dr. Connors smiled as he was happy Will liked his gift.

"And we included some new safety goggles for you as well." Martha said and Will saw a pair of new safety tinted goggles he could use instead of using the ones in the lab. "Curt always says that a scientist isn't a lab coat or clothing but the mind that wears it. Taking that into consideration, Curt did say that a mind like yours deserves to have his own clothing rather than use spares."

"Thank you, Dr. and Mrs. Connors. Thank you both. This is amazing." Will hugged Martha and Dr. Connors when Billy then ran over on his sugar high and tackled them in a flying hug.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL!" Bill shouted as he handed him a Spider-man pencil case and composition book with a bow on it. "HOPE YOU LIKE IT! I GOT MY DAD THE SAME THING AND HE LOVES USING IT!"

"That would explain a lot." Will said, remembering the times he saw Dr. Connors use a Spider-man pen to jot down some notes. Martha then took Billy and held him back as he began to get jittery.

"We should get him home before he tries to eat another slice of cake. I'll see you tomorrow, Will. Emily, Spencer, Aria, Mrs. Detmer, always nice to see you. Good night." Dr. Connors bid them farewell as he and Martha took the jittery Billy away.

"Good night." They replied as the Connors left.

"Wow that seemed like one hell of a sugar rush." Spencer said.

"Glad I outgrew that phase." Will said, finishing his soda.

"Well, since Dr. Connors gave you your gift, we should do the same." Emily came over with a birthday bag. He opened it and pulled out a small Spider-man plushy and he chuckled. "I know you said you didn't want one, but it was too cute to pass up."

"I love it, Em. Thanks." He smiled as he looked it over. He did make a cute plushy.

"And there's something else in there as well that I think you'll like." Emily said so Will reached in and pulled out a pair of dark red and blue _Asics Onitsuka Tier Ultimate_ 81 athletic shoes. "I talked to some of the trainers at my summer Olympic training program and they said that those shoes are perfect for someone who's into parkour. They got me a good discount."

"Oh, Em this is awesome!" Will hugged her tight and looked them over. "These are perfect. Can I just say I was a little upset we couldn't hang out during the summer but given you met Maya and got me these, I'm over it."

"Good to know." Emily replied with a smirk. "And it was hard not to spend the summer here too but it had its upsides."

"And that upside was named Maya." Spencer joked as Emily moved some hair behind her ear to hide a blush. "Now, here's my gift."

Spencer handed him a nicely wrapped rectangular box. He opened it to see it was a new Palmer Tech 5G smart tablet and a Palmer Tech Bluetooth earpiece. "Whoa, Spencer you went out of your way with gifts. A Palmer Tech tablet…this must have cost you a fortune?" Will was amazed to see such a great gift but was concerned because the table was easily 300 dollars and that's low balling it.

"Oh, no worry. One of the perks of having your parents work for a multi-billionaire tech inventor is that you get a whole bunch of free stuff. They got a whole bunch of the tablets but they use the prototype ones they get for work so these just sit in the box. I gave one to Emily and Aria so now you get one." Spencer said as Will grabbed Spencer and spun her around in a fierce hug. Spencer laughed as she hugged back. "I'm glad you like them."

"This is great, Spencer. Thank you." Will said. Aria came over with her present, settled nicely in a nice shopping bag.

"And this is for you." She said so Will reached in and pulled out a picture frame with two photos. The first photo was of Will, Aria, and Emily back in their freshman year before Will got his powers so he was the shorter, glasses wearing Will. The photo was taken by one of their classmates in front of the large mural/water fountain on campus. The second photo was of Will, Aria, Emily, and Spencer at the beginning of their sophomore year and taken in front of the same mural/water fountain as the first picture. The two pictures side by side showed how much Will had changed and was a nice memento to how the school year started and that they had a lot to look forward to. It seemed like it was a tradition that they take that photo every year.

"Oh my god, Aria." Will smiled as he looked at the photo. Emily, Spencer, and May looked at the photo as well and smiled. "This is perfect."

"That's not the only thing in there." Aria told him. He looked in the bag and froze for a second. He then pulled out his old fashioned Canon 35mm film camera.

"My old camera." Will looked it over and it looked brand new and clean.

"I got it from your mom and I had it completely refurbished." Aria said.

"I haven't used this since I was at Starling Academy." Will grabbed Aria and spun her around in a massive hug. "I love it, Aria. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure. Since it's become a tradition we take that photo every year, next year we should do it with your camera." Aria said and Will smiled.

"This is perfect. This is the best birthday I've had in a long time." Will said when his mom held out an envelope with his name on it. "This is dad's handwriting."

"I found it in his desk years ago and was waiting for the right time to give it to you. This seemed like it." May said as Will looked it over and opened it.

He opened up the envelope to see a birthday card that read _Happy Birthday to my son, a man with a future as bright as the sun and who will change the world_. He opened it and saw an old photo of Will and his dad when he won the science fair in middle school with his rocket project and then another photo of Will with his mom and dad at the Starling City museum when they had the NASA exhibit.

"I remember this. It was my NASA phase when I was in middle school. Dad joked that I'd work for NASA after college and by the time he'd retire, I would have gotten us to Mars." Will said as he remembered the fond memories.

"Your father knew from that moment on that you'd change the world. He was right." May said. The girls hugged him as it seemed that Will missed his father.

The party was soon over, and the girls helped clean up and were going to spend the night. Before he went to bed, Will went to the Starling Cemetery and walked the grounds until he came to the gravestone of his father. He looked at the tombstone that read _Here lies Richard Benjamin Detmer, a loving husband, father, and servant of justice._

Will knelt down, moved some of the dirt apart and placed the birthday card and photos there on his grave. He touched the tombstone and looked at it, feeling a sense of happiness that his father had such a meaningful gift for him but also sad that he wasn't here anymore. He just hoped that he was making him proud.

"Thanks for the card, dad. I know I'm not a NASA scientist, but I hope that I'm making you proud." Will said as he kissed the tombstone. "Love you, dad."

Back in the city, Oliver was chasing his target down the main street of Starling City. His target ran as fast as he could down the middle of the street with the Arrow right behind him, having jumped down on the roof a bus to a van that went after him. The cars on the street swerved out of the way and began creating roadblocks so the Arrow jumped from the van and vaulted over cars as his target ran for his life. His target took a turn and ran down an alley so Oliver fired a rope arrow that wrapped around his neck, stopping him in his tracks. He pulled him forward and walked up to his target as the guy backed away, scared out of his mind.

"I didn't do it!" He begged for his life.

 **"** **A woman was killed on a rooftop last week. Black leather, blonde hair, wore a mask!"** Oliver shouted.

"I didn't kill her." His target pleaded with him.

 **"** **You were there! Your fingerprints are on this!"** Oliver said as he held up a piece of glass from a bottle.

"From a fifth I drank up there, but I—"" **What did you see?!"** Oliver shouted.

"Nothing! I was on the roof with some buddies and this lady showed up and she—she told us to go! Look like she could handle herself, you know." Oliver could tell that was all his target knew and walked away. "Whoever it is you're looking for, I wouldn't want to be him."

Oliver arrived back at the bunker and saw Felicity, Roy, and Dig there. "Another dead end." He put his mask down and walked over to his display case to put his bow away.

"You're kidding. It took me a week to get a hit off that print. I had to reconstruct the partial using a predictive indexing algorithm. Appropriate, since it was his index finger…" Felicity saw that Oliver was in the mood for jokes and quickly stopped talking. "Not particularly relevant now."

"Don't worry, Oliver. We'll find him. He's out there somewhere." Dig assured him.

"No, he's not. The trail's gone cold." Oliver stated the facts.

"I hate to do this but I have to head out to work early." Felicity told them as she grabbed her purse.

"Tech village is open this early?" Roy asked.

"Not exactly." She replied.

"Have you figured out where exactly in Italy Thea is staying?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, about that—she's not in Italy. Or Europe, or, well—"Felicity blab a bit causing Roy and Dig to chuckle.

"Where is she?" Oliver asked.

"I had to ping her cellphone to figure out where in Italy she was texting from. Turns out, came back Corto Maltese." Felicity told him before she left.

"Corto's an island off of South America. What's up with your family and Islands?" Dig asked as Oliver just gave him a look and walked over to his mannequin with Roy following him.

"Hey, Oliver. Thea's letter said not to come find her." Roy told him.

"That letter was addressed to you, not to me. I'm watching Laurel go through losing Sara. It's time for my sister to come home." Oliver said and Roy nodded before walking over to his display case to grab his bow. "What are you doing?"

"Thea's gone because of me. Because the lies that I told her. So I owe this to both of you to make things right." Roy said.

"No…what are you doing?" Oliver motioned to his bow. "You can't travel with that."

Roy looked at his bow and put it down. "I've actually never been on a plane before."

Line Break xxxxx

The next day was back to business for Will and the girls. They went back to campus and their regular schedules. Aria was getting a little busy working on a project for her design class, Spencer was at the DA's office today for her part-time internship, and Emily was at swim practice so Will went to the lab to do some work. He walked into the lab, put on his new lab coat, and got to work on the cancerous tumor trials for the Recombinator. Will walked over to get some vials and saw Pinky in his cage drinking some water.

"How're you doing today, buddy?" Will asked as he put another cheese cube in Pinky's bowl. "We're doing big things, little guy."

Will went to his computer and got the simulation running on the next set of trials for the Recombinator. Before they would actually use the Recombinator for a cancer tumor trial, there were simulations that needed to be run to account for anything that could go wrong. While the simulations were running, Will was multi-tasking and finishing up some projects he had started a while ago.

He was using the soldering iron to place in the last microchip he needed and clamped on the metal cover of what appeared to be a metal bracelet like his Web Shooters but didn't have a trigger device and was a lot smaller. The bracelet had a small little barb on the part by the wrist and a small spider symbol icon on the back. He put the bracelet in a box with three others like it and put it away in his backpack when Dr. Connors walked in. "Hey, Dr. Connors." Will said.

"Afternoon, Will." Dr. Connors replied.

"So, how was Billy's sugar rush and crash?" Will asked as he saw Dr. Connors shudder.

"Let's just say he won't be having sugar for a long time." Dr. Connors put his briefcase away and grabbed his lab coat. "So, I ran in to Professor Aldrich today and he wanted to show me your paper on occulated pneumatic neural networks for new mechanical prosthetics. Very impressive work."

"Thanks. It's something I was working on last year that I'm interesting in pursuing. Kind of another way to help people." Will said with a smile.

"Well, I know a lot of people will benefit from that." Dr. Connors said. "All right, let's get to work."

He and Dr. Connors got to work on the next set of trials for the Recombinator and within the next few days, they'd run another set of tests and if everything went well, then they'd have a viable beta-phase for a cure for cancer. After he finished up working with Dr. Connors, Will stayed behind to work on a new pet project of his. Something new to add to his arsenal beside his regular web shooters and he was just about done. It was something he stumbled upon by accident when he was trying to develop acid webbing. By mixing liquid cobalt, perchloric acid, hydrogen peroxide and super heating it to 4,000 kelvin, he developed a liquid that once electrified would cause chemical metal embrittlement. It would come in handy if he encountered something in the future so he put a small amount of the chemical compound in small corked vials. Once thrown and the liquid coated a surface, he'd use his venom blast to electrify it and boom…instant chemical metal embrittlement. He'd have Aria come up with a name later.

He made sure no one was around and corked the last of the 16 vials and pulled out his Spider-man belt from his backpack. He moved all his spare web cartridges into his two front and two back pouches and placed the 16 vials into another pouch and made sure they were secure. He then took out another spare pouch with a small belt loop from his backpack he had Aria help make. They were spare pouches he'd have tied to his ankles so he had extra storage for his other new weapons. He opened his secured drawer with his key and took out a small box with dozens of small vials of web fluid, spare parts, and 8 ready-to-use web bombs or web grenades. Either or, it's didn't really matter what they were called, they did the same thing. They were small, around the size of a golf ball made up of a scrap metal he got from the engineering lab and using spare tech he got from Red, White, & Blue Electronics. You'd be surprised at what you could rig up with a genius brain, some engineering know-how and discount electronics. One man's trash is another man's treasure trove. The grenades were very simple: they housed a web cartridge so all he had to do is pressed the button on the grenade, throw it and in three seconds, it would detonate the cartridge and cover the surrounding 2 meter radius in webs. It could entangle more bad guys then his impact webbings and would be useful in a lot of situations.

He put all his stuff in his backpack and went back to his dorm room. On the way there, he passed by Cece Drake, some new student who recently transferred here but barely attended class. They shared a literature class and she barely showed up. If anything, it seemed that she was more concerned with asking about Alison DiLaurentis. She has been asking about her ever since she showed up…and that wasn't the only thing. When they first met, she triggered his spider-sense for some reason and he didn't know why. There was something up with Cece Drake.

He walked into his dorm room and put his belt back on his suit which was hanging in his closet. He sat down at his desk and activated his laptop to bring up a command prompt that had a very complex digital code on it. He reached into his desk drawer to pull out a small box and in it was a prototype for something Aria dubbed as the Spider-tracer. It was small, about the size of a nickel and had a red spider symbol on it and it was a small GPS device. He designed it using some of the tech he took from the Smythe aerial drone that had followed him. Right now, it was still in the beta-phase but he just needed to program it and he'd be ready to take it out on a field test. He used some precision pliers to open up the tracer and plugged in an usb cable and began uploading the program he wrote on his computer which would then send a signal to his phone so he could track it. While the program uploaded, Will got to work on one last thing. He took out his mask, turned it inside out and took out the Bluetooth earpiece Spencer got him and began taking it apart so he could put it inside his mask. He entertained the idea of having some kind of earpiece in his mask so he wouldn't need to take out his phone all the time and this was perfect. He removed a lot of the bulk pieces which just left the circuits and wiring and he began using his soldering iron to fit them into place on his right ear.

Around 6pm, he texted the girls to come to his dorm room because he had a surprise for them. He finished with his mask upgrade just in time when he heard the electronic student ID card lock click and Aria, Emily, and Spencer walked in. "Hey, Will. We're here. What's up?" Aria asked.

"Well, I wanted you girls here because I have something for you." He said as he took out the small box from his backpack. "I wanted to give it to you yesterday but I needed to finish it. Voila."

He opened the box to reveal four silver metal bracelets with a spider symbol on it. "Oh, these are cute." Aria said as she, Spencer, and Emily looked them over.

"Cute and functional." He added. He took three out and put them on the girl's left wrist. "Given my new part-time job keeping the city safe, I can't always be here for you girls and I want to make sure that if something should happen I'll know. So, I made these. The small barb on the bottom by your wrist is for self-defense. If you guys find yourself in trouble, the bard can release a 2,000 volt shock against someone. Just press the barb against whomever and bang, they're stunned. And the spider emblem sends out a GPS signal once pressed so if you need my help, press it and I'm on my way."

"Wow, you thought ahead." Emily said and Will smiled.

"Of course, I have to keep my girls safe." He said as they smiled. "The fourth is for my mom. I'm going to go drop it off when I got out on patrol."

"You have really outdone yourself, Will. Where did you get the stuff to make this?" Spencer asked, curious to how he did it.

"Oh that's easy. Cheap tech at Red, White, & Blue and the recycle pile. One man's trash is another man's treasure." Will joked as Aria looked and saw a lot of tech on his desk and bed.

"Wow, you've been busy." Aria said, holding up a small corked vial of liquid. "What is this?"

"That is another tool to add to my arsenal along with these." Will took out one of the web grenades and put the tracer back together. "The designs you came up with inspired me to do a little inventing. These are my web grenades. Press the button, count to three and it encases a 2 meter radius area in webs."

He tossed it to Emily who looked it over. "Nice." She said.

"I'm using the tech I got from that drone to make spider tracers. Still a work in progress but almost done." He said as his program finished uploading so he put the tracer back together so Aria could see the small spider symbol she sketched in the book.

"Oh, that's my design." Aria said with a sense of pride.

"And that vial in your hand is something new. Once thrown at something it causes chemical metal embrittlement." He said but Aria and Emily were confused so Spencer decided to help.

"It means whatever metal gets hit with it will become brittle and crumble." Spencer said as Aria and Emily nodded. "Not bad."

"Yup, still need a name for it though. Aria, any suggestions?" He asked as Aria tried to think up of something but was drawing a blank. The look on her face made Will chuckle. "Don't worry, you have time to think of something. Tonight, these things are getting a test run. So, enough about me, anything new with you girls?"

"No, same old same old. My professor did say that there are talks about a charity fashion show here at the college. It's in the works but could be fun." Aria said.

"Nothing with me but the coach did say that he still wants us ready for the meet on parents' day this week." Emily said.

"Right, I completely forgot about that." Will said as he realized that parent's day was three days away. It was when all the parents came to visit their kids at campus.

"Well, of course you would forget. Yours and Spencer's parents live here." Aria said. "My mom and dad are driving over with my little brother, partially to see me and partially to see if they want to send Mike here next year. It's exactly what I don't want."

"My dad had to head back to base so it's just my mom." Emily said with a small smile. Things were better with her.

"Well, it's just for a day. They come here, tour the campus, listen to speeches and that's it. We just get through one dinner together with all our families and its back to business as usual." Will said.

"Sounds good to me. To be honest, my parent's haven't even mentioned parents' day because they've been too busy with everything at Palmer tech and Melissa and Ian." Spencer said.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Will asked as Spencer shrugged.

"A bit of both. They're here but not breathing down my neck 24/7 which is nice. Let's me focus on things here and with my internship. I helped Laurel track down a guy for a break-in case she's working. He's some guy who goes to Ted Grant's boxing gym." Spencer said and Will recognized that

"Wait, Ted Grant? As in Ted _Wildcat_ Grant?" he asked and she nodded. "You're kidding, that guys a legend."

"Who is Ted _Wildcat_ Grant?" Aria asked.

"He's a former professional boxer also known as the Starling Southpaw. He was a minor celebrity in the city during his title fight a few years ago until he retired and opened up his own boxing gym." Will said.

"Wow, Will. I didn't know you were a fan of boxing." Emily said.

"I'm not but my dad was. He took me to one of his earliest fights years ago when I just started middle school and even tried to teach me how to box to defend myself." Will said, remembering the fond memories…and the memories of it outcome. "Let's just say…it didn't work."

"Oh." Aria said.

"My dad was a dedicated fan and while I never got into the sport, I did watch with him." Will said as he got an idea. "Spencer, do you know where the gym is?"

"Yeah, it's in the city. Why?" She asked as Will rubbed his hair.

"Well, maybe we should head down there and see if he's got beginner classes." Will suggested and the girls were confused.

"Will, what do you need boxing for? I mean, you already have your own fighting style. You called it…the way of the spider, right?" Emily told him.

"I do, and it's perfect for me. Honestly, if I took up boxing it might not be the best but nothing wrong with expanding my horizons." Will replied. "But it wouldn't be just for me. Maybe you girls should think about it."

"Seriously?" Spencer thought it was crazy.

"Just listen. Ok, this might sound like me being paranoid and over cautious but after being Spider-man for a while and given what's happened in the city, it's kind of necessary. Just learning boxing to defend yourself sounds like a good idea." Will told them.

"Will, we're not damsels in distress. We can take care of ourselves." Emily replied.

"Well, maybe you can. I'm the one who needs to wear heels to even look normal compared to the three of you." Aria said. She was the least athletic of the group and the shortest.

"I know you can, Em and believe me the day a guy decides to mess with you he'll be in for a shock but this is me being serious. Ok, just after I got my powers when we went into the city with Aria and first met Yuri, those thugs tried to jump us." Will said.

"Yeah, and you took care of them." Emily pointed out.

"I did but what if I didn't get my powers a week before? Or worse, what if I wasn't there with you? I don't even want to think about what could have happened." Will was genuinely worried about them and completely serious about this which was different than most situations. "Look, I get that this might come off as alpha-male overprotective but is there anything wrong with wanting to make sure that the people I care about are safe?"

Aria, Spencer, and Emily looked at each other before sighing. "It's hard to argue against you when you get sentimental." Spencer said, causing Will to smirk.

"Look, our lives are busy enough as it is, I get that. With everything that's going on, finding rare free time is hard. How about tomorrow, we just head down there and think about it?" Will asked as the girls thought about it for a moment before they all reluctantly nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's cute when you get all over protective." Aria walked over and hugged him. "Show you really care about us."

"Of course I do." Will told her. "You girls are more than just friends, you're family. And despite everything that can happen, I'm going to do everything within my power to make sure you're safe and nothing will change that."

"Aw…" Emily and Spencer hugged him too and the four friends had a nice moment which was ruined when his phone and computer went off. They looked and it was his police radio backdoor program that let him tap into the police frequency and it went off because of a bank robbery/hostage situation at Starling Mutual.

"Duty calls." Aria said as Will nodded.

"I'll be back." Will told them. He put on his suit and new sneakers that Emily got him and slipped on his mask, ensuring that the earpiece he put in fits in place. He put on his web shooters and pressed the triggers, hearing the click of them working so he put in web cartridges and made sure they were locked in. He grabbed his belt and secured it around his waist and made sure his chemical vials were set and he filled up on web cartridges. He grabbed two spare pouch belts and tied them around his ankles and put his web grenades in there. He placed his spider tracer in his belt and slipped his cellphone into his last free pouch, opened his window, jumped and swung away to the city.

He swung around a building and landed on the rooftop about two blocks away from the bank. He zoom his vision in and saw the police had set up a perimeter outside the bank and were under fire by armed men inside the bank. The robbers were wearing body armor, using automatic rifles and were wearing ski masks and one of the robbers had a female hostage at gunpoint so the SCPD couldn't shoot back for risk of shooting her. He super jumped to the roof of the next building and web swung down to the roof of the bank. He opened up an air vent and began crawling down to get inside the bank.

"Huh, banks have remarkable clean air vents. Good for them." He said to himself, impressed with how clean the vents were. He carefully ripped open the vent grate and crawled out so he was inside the bank. He shot a web at the ceiling and hung upside down in his signature spider style to take note of everything in the bank. Besides the five robbers at the front, there were two in the vault loading the money, one holding the other hostages at gun point and two more walking around the bank for a grand total of 10 bad guys.

 _'_ _Ok, ten bad guys and one Spectacular Spider-man. Bad odds for them. Time to go to work.'_ He crawled along the ceiling until he was above one of the robbers doing a patrol. He shot a web line down at the robber's gun and yanked it up quickly, hitting the bad guy in the face. The gun to the face stunned the robber so he shot another web at him and pulled him up to the ceiling and stuck him there with webbing. He lowered himself down to the ground and slowly came up behind the other robber doing a patrol and touched his back, using his venom shock that momentarily paralyze him and then kicked his feet out from under him and web him to the ground. He quickly jumped away as the robber guarding the hostages heard some noise.

"Hey!" He shouted to one of the men who were shooting at the cops. "I heard something. Go check it out. Make sure the cops aren't trying to sneak in through the back!"

The guy nodded as he loaded a fresh magazine into his rifle and had his buddy come with him. They walked away from the front and made their way into the interior of the bank, staying close together in case something happened. They moved past the teller desks over to the financial consultation desks when they both felt a tap on their shoulders. They turned around to see Spider-man there.

"Hi." He said as he banged their heads together and knocked them unconscious. He picked up their guns and bended the barrels before dragging them away and webbing them together. He crawled along the wall made his way over to the robber guarding the hostages, shot a web at him and threw him into the wall before firing his impact webbing and sticking him there. The hostages all looked and saw him there but he quickly motioned them to shush and be quiet and they nodded. He crawled along the wall and saw the open bank vault. He jumped off the wall quietly and slowly moved to the vault door. He peaked in and saw two of the robbers putting money into bags. He pulled out one of his web grenades, pressed the button and rolled it into the vault before jumping away and sticking to the ceiling.

"Huh, what's this—ACK!" They shouted as the remaining three robbers by the front heard the shout. They turned and saw their man by the hostages was gone.

"Where'd he go?!" The leader shouted, still holding the woman at gunpoint. He heard two puffs behind him and when he turned around, he saw his two men were gone. He saw some of the police moving forward so he fired a few shots from his pistol to keep them back. "STAY BACK!"

He dragged his hostage with him as he turned to the others and pointed his gun at them. "WHERE'D THEY GO?! WHERE DID MY MEN GO?!" He shouted and the hostages cowered in fear when he heard something hit the ground so he turned to see Spider-man.

"Hey, yelly. I'm right here." Spider-man told him. The robber held the hostage tight around the neck and aimed his gun at Spider-an

"So, you're Spider-man?! I'd thought you'd be taller." He said as Spider-man shrugged.

"You are not the first bad guy to say that to me and something tells me you won't be the last." Spider-man said. He took one step forward but the robber aimed his gun at the hostage's head.

"Don't take another step or she gets a bullet in her skull. And you heroes don't want that to happen." The Robber said.

"That we do." Spider-man replied as he could see the robber smirk under his mask.

"You know, it might actually be a good thing you being here. My plans have kind of derailed with the police showing up and you taking out all my associates, so I want you to grab the money from the vault. You'll find ¾ ton pallets of bills inside, 30 million dollars." The Robber told him.

"Phew, that's a lot of money." Spider-man stated.

"You're gonna carry it for me, swing me away from this place with your stupid webs or I will execute every single one of these hostages." The Robber said.

"Hmm…tempting but I'm gonna have to say no to that." Spider-man joked. "Besides, I didn't come down here to talk…just to distract you."

He quickly shot his two web shooters and hit the gun and the robbers face. He yanked hard and pulled the robber away from the hostage. Spider-man quickly jumped forward and smashed the robber's face with a right cross, knocking him out cold but he webbed him to the ground just to be safe. "Are you all right?" He asked the hostage as she nodded and hugged him.

"Thank you, Spider-man." She cried into his sweatshirt and he hugged back.

"Don't mention it. All in a day's work for a superhero. The police will take it from here." Spider-man let go and shot a web line at the front door and zipped away. The police outside on the street saw Spider-man fling out of the building, spin through the air and land on one of the police cruisers. "Hey there boys in blue. Don't worry, the hostages are safe. I'll leave you too it!"

He jumped off the car and web swung away as SWAT and CSU secured the area. Will swung away from the bank, feeling good about himself until he realized something. "Aw, man. I didn't get to use my chemical metal embrittlement liquid…dang, I really need a shorter name for that." He said to himself as he swung over a building.

Line Break xxxxx

The next day, Will, Aria, and Emily took the bus into the city and made their way to Ted Grant's boxing gym like they said they would. They went after classes and Spencer would meet them there after finishing up at the DA's office. They walked in and saw some people there for training or using workout equipment. Will, Aria, and Emily looked out of place seeing as they just came from class but stuck around. They saw two men in the ring boxing against one another with one pushing offensively while the other absorbed some blows and waited. One wild right cross left the boxer open to an uppercut which knocked him on his ass, losing the fight.

"Oh, that's got to hurt." Aria said as Will grimaced. He had hit plenty of bad guys with uppercuts and knocked them out but his punches were a lot stronger with his super strength…not to mention his fight with Shocker showed him how much it hurts when he gets hit. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yeah…but I'm starting to sway from that a bit." Will walked over to grab one of the gym's pamphlets and looked it over. It read _learn self-defense_ and had information on class schedules and things like that. "Here."

Emily and Aria took the pamphlets and looked them over. "Hey." They turned and saw Spencer had arrived in her business casual wear which was heels, business pants, with a button up and blazer over that. "Sorry, I'm late."

"No, you're on time. We got here a few minutes ago. How was your day?" Will asked.

"Fine but I think there's something going on with Laurel. I'll tell you later." Spencer said as Aria held up one of the pamphlets.

"Here, Spence. Check this out." Aria and the others looked over the pamphlets. "You know, Will I love that you want to look out for us but maybe this isn't the answer. I mean that punching bag is bigger than me. What can I hope to do against an actual person?"

"Big, small, tall or short, it doesn't matter." They turned and saw Ted Grant there taking off the tape around his knuckles. "What matters is knowing how to throw the right punch. What can I do for you?"

"Wow, Ted Grant." Will said as Ted looked at him. "Sorry, my dad was a huge fan and he had me watch all your matches when I was a kid."

"Thanks. Always nice to meet a fan. So, what brings you here?" Ted asked.

"Well, our resident over-protective nerd wants us to take up boxing as a means of self-defense." Emily told him.

"Hmm…well, I'm more than happy to help. A lot of the people in here come to work off anger and rage because of the bad hand the city deals them but most of them come here to learn how to defend themselves. It's something that everyone should think about unless you own a private army or have super powers." Ted said.

"Pfft…yeah, right. I wish. It would make things so much easier." Will joked.

"Have any of you taken a self-defense class before?" Ted asked and Emily, Spencer, and Aria pointed to Will. "You have?"

"It wasn't self-defense but my dad tried to teach me to box to protect myself against the bullies at my school…it led to me getting an atomic swirly." Will said as Ted was confused. "That's the one where they dunk your head in the toilet and flush it."

"Oh." Ted looked at Will and noticed he seemed very fit and not the subject of bullies. "You seem like you can handle yourself now."

"The wonders of puberty and being a late bloomer. Life is full of its little ironies like that." Will told him. "They call me over-cautious but I just worried."

"It's fine. I take it you four are students." Ted guessed.

"Yeah, we go to Starling University." Aria said as Ted nodded.

"Normally, my beginner's classes are during the week. But I can set aside some private lessons for nights and weekends if you're interested. And if you come as a group, I'll give you guys a discount." Ted said with a smile. He had them follow him to his office, wrote down some stuff on applications and handed them to Will, Aria, Emily, and Spencer and the price was very reasonable. "Take some time to think about it and let me know."

"Thanks, Ted but why the discount price?" Will asked.

"Call it a bonus for the son of a fan…and to make sure you never get another atomic swirly." He joked as he walked over to his next lesson.

"He's kind of cute." Aria stated causing Will to roll his eyes.

"So, what do we think? Give it a day to think it over?" Will suggested and the girls seemed to agree. "Ok. Spencer, there's something you said you wanted to talk about?"

"Yeah. Laurel came to me before and told me to get a file on some guy named Andrew Rozak. Some guy with multiple assault charges and warrants on him all the way to Coast City. Normally, I'd make a log of any file request in the DA's computers for something like this but Laurel specifically told me not to make any kind of record that she wanted the file. And I checked the pending cases, we have nothing on this guy except for warrants out." Spencer told him in a very worried tone. "I'm scared that Laurel might be up to something."

"If she didn't want a record of you pulling his file…it means she doesn't want anyone to know what she's doing." Will guessed and Spencer agreed with his logic.

"Yeah, when I felt something was weird, I took some photos on my phone." Spencer sent him the photos of the file which included the picture and some general information. "Do you think you can have Yuri do something?"

"Don't worry, Spencer. I'll handle it." He assured her, giving Spencer some relief.

 **8 hours later**

It was nighttime in the city and Will was suited up in his Spider-man gear. He made a call to Yuri about the guy Laurel was looking into, Andrew Rozak and was able to get some last known locations and possible places he likes to hang out. Most of them were bars…no shocker there. Once he got the list, he plugged his tablet Spencer got him into SCPD's CCTV uplink center from the uplink tower on the roof of the SCPD to hack into traffic cameras and found Rozak's car at a bar. Time to ruin his night.

He clung to the wall in an alleyway and saw Rozak's car parked. He had been there for a few hours waiting for him to come out and he eventually stumbled out of the bar, obviously drunk off his ass.

 _'_ _Ok, note to self, don't end up like that guy. Granted alcohol doesn't really affect me but that's beside the point.'_ Will narrated in his head as he watched Rozak grab his keys when he saw a masked woman in black leather come out from the side with a bat. He focused his eyes on the figure and saw familiar looked blonde hair and leather jacket. The masked woman hit Rozak in the back, knocking him into his car.

"I hear you like to hit women. How about one who likes to hit back?" The woman asked and Will recognized the voice as Laurel Lance. Laurel slugged him with her bat twice before he caught the bag and yanked it out of her hand. He punched her twice, knocking her down to the ground and kicked her in the gut.

"You're right. It's better when they hit back." Rozak said with a sadistic smile when Will jumped off the wall and kicked Rozak into his car, smashing the windows and knocking him to the ground. He landed in a crouch in front of Laurel as Rozak got back up.

"How about you try that against someone who has a thing against dirt bags hitting women?" He taunted him. Rozak grabbed the bat and swung it at Spider-man but he ducked and slid between Rozak's legs. He kicked Rozak in the back, launching him through the air before shooting some webs at his back and smacking him into the ground. He shot some impact webbing and stuck him there so he could check on Laure. He took off her mask to see she was conscious but had some serious bruises and cuts on her face. "Hang on, I'll get you to a hospital."

He pressed his Bluetooth headset and hit the dial button to call 911 and tell them there was an assault at his location. He then picked up Laurel and swung her to Starling General and dropped her off at the ER. Laurel was immediately taken and when Will's mom heard what happened, she went to see her and help. Laurel was going to be fine, just some bruising. Nothing was broken.

May was writing something on her charts when he saw Quentin hurrying down the hall to see his daughter. "Mrs. Detmer…sorry, May. How is she?" Quentin asked.

"Laurel is fine. Just some bruising on her face and side, maybe a mild concussion but she seems fine. We're just keeping her here to rest up. You can discharge her if you want but we'd recommend she stay the night." May said as Quentin nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Your daughter seems to be going through something. Is everything ok?"

"I'll let you know when I find out." He said, walking in to the room to see Laurel laying on her hospital bed, bruised but alive. "Oh, baby. Baby, are you ok?"

"I'm so sorry." Laurel told him.

"I'm too relieved to be made at you, I really am." He said as he kissed her head. "But, sweetheart…this is crazy. What the hell were you thinking going after that girl's boyfriend?"

"There's just something I needed to work out. I know that the world isn't fair. I know that it's a terrible place where…where people deserve to get punished. And they don't. I just… **[Sighs]** for one night, I needed the world to be different." She said. Quentin could tell something was bothering her.

"Ok, Laurel, Laurel…what's going on with you, huh? You're not being yourself lately. And now you're running around, you're tuning this guy up. What are you doing? Baby, you can talk to me about anything, you know that right? You know that." He said as Laurel looked at him.

"I know." She replied.

"Talk to me then." He begged her but she wouldn't say anything. "Laurel, you're not the Arrow or your sister or Spider-man. You promise me you'll never do anything like this again, ever."

"I promise. It was a mistake. I wasn't thinking." She said, looking at the jacket her sister gave her hanging from a chair. "I'm just glad Spider-man showed up when he did."

"That makes two of us. If I ever see this guy, I'm gonna kiss him on the mask." He told her before kissing her forehead. "Get some rest."

Quentin stepped out and sighed as he ran his hand over his face in exasperation. "I'm guessing the talk didn't go well?" May asked and he shook his head no.

"No. She's like a completely different person and won't talk to me." Quentin said as he looked at her. "Did you ever have that problem with Will?"

"I did." She said, thinking about during the siege when she found out about his powers and the secret he had kept for months. "I guess it's natural with kids that they keep secrets."

"I thought she'd grow out of that. What did you do with Will?" He asked.

"It took kind of a big moment for him to be honest with me. I was beyond mad but then I realized he didn't tell me because he was afraid or ashamed but more to save me from worrying." May told him. "Granted, I still worried but you just have to wait for Laurel to be ready to talk to you. Give her a little time."

"I'll take your word for it." Quentin said. "Thank you for looking after her."

"It's my pleasure. Granted, it's not something I really do anymore but I have some pull around here and I more than know my way around the ER. To be honest, considering I first treated you and then your daughter you might want to put me on as your personal physician." May joked and Quentin chuckled.

"I wouldn't have any problem with that." He said as she smiled back. "It wouldn't be so bad."

"Maybe. But my charity has limits so I think the next time you need my help…it'll cost you." She said and Quentin smirked.

"I'm sure that my insurance will cover it." He said so May took out her business card and wrote something down.

"Here's my card. In case something comes up again or you need a doctor's opinion." May handed him her card and he saw she had written down her cellphone number as well. "Don't wait too soon or too long to call."

"I'll try not to." Quentin said when he glanced to the window and saw a red cladded figure outside. The figure motioned him to follow so Quentin put the business card in his pocket. "Excuse me."

"Of course." May replied as she walked back in to check on Laurel while Quentin walked over to the window and saw the figure was gone. He walked down the hall and saw a note webbed to the outside of the mirror that read _Go outside_.

Quentin took the stairs and walked outside by the loading dock area. He turned around to see no one was around. "Hello?" Quentin called out.

 _"_ _Up here."_ He heard a grizzled and baritone voice call out so he turned and saw Spider-man crouched against the wall of the hospital. _"Hello, Captain Lance."_

"What's the matter with your voice?" Quentin asked.

 _"_ _What do you mean? This is my regular voice."_ Spider-man replied.

"Not from what I've heard and it sounds like you've got a bad case of strep throat." Quentin said as Will sighed.

"Well, so much for that working." Spider-man said to himself in his normal voice. "I figured that considering everything I've done that it's about time we meet in person."

"I guess you're right." Quentin said as he looked over Spider-man. "I thought you'd be taller."

"Something tells me I'm going to be hearing that for the rest of my life I spend in this suit." Spider-man sighed, shaking his head. "I swung by to see how the ADA was doing. It's not every day I save a notable city figure."

"She's doing fine, she'll pull through. Thank you for saving her." Quentin said.

"It's my job. Granted no one pays me so I guess you could call it more of a hobby." Spider-man stated. "Having said that, I don't suppose the SCPD is looking to deputize superheroes? I could use a good paycheck."

"Sorry, I don't think the mayor would like that unless you're willing to take off that mask." Quentin said but Spider-man shook his head no. "I figured as much. Besides, you are technically breaking the law."

"I like to think of it as being a proactive member of society and being diligent with my citizen's arrest." Spider-man quipped which actually made Quentin chuckle.

"I'm not sure the Mayor would go for that." Quentin replied so Spider-man shrugged.

"Well, you can't win every fight. But, I can't complain with what I do now. Besides, I love screwing with the bad guys. And I figured that you're probably the one person in the police department who would speak to me without arresting me on sight." Spider-man said, hiding the fact that he was speaking to Yuri on the side.

"What makes you say that?" Quentin asked.

"Well, word has it through the superhero/vigilante grapevine is that you are buddy-buddy with the Arrow. I figured speaking to you is better than a patrol officer who is a little too trigger happy." Spider-man stated.

"You and he are friends?" Quentin asked.

"Not even close. The first time we met in person he said he didn't want me doing my Spider-man thing to keep the city safe which is a little hypocritical since I'm doing a better job. Frankly, I think he's just jealous and considering he tried to shoot me with an arrow doesn't help which says a lot about his personality. Not a very amicable person." Spider-man said.

"You had no idea how right you are but he gets the job done and he's saved the city plenty of times." Quentin told him as Spider-man held up his hands.

"I'm not arguing that but his first instinct is to point arrows at your head." Spider-man replied and Quentin conceded his point. "Anyway, just wanted the chance to tell you in person that I'm here to help the city."

"And after everything I've heard and seen, I'm starting to believe you but why show up now? Why not years ago?" Quentin asked.

"Well, you know the universal saying…timing is everything." Spider-man was about to leave but stopped himself and looked at Quentin. "That might have come off as menacing but that's not how I meant it."

"Noted." Quentin said. "How I get in contact with you if I need your help?"

"I'll contact you. Don't worry, Captain, if there's something going on in the city I'll be there. See you later." Spider-man shot a web line and swung away.

"He's friendlier than the Arrow, that's for sure." Quentin said as he walked back into the hospital.

Line Break xxxxx

The next day, Will was with Aria, Spencer, and Emily at the coffeehouse on campus talking together at a seclude table in the corner. "So, was I right to be worried about Laurel?" Spencer asked and Will nodded, finishing his decaf coffee.

"You were right. She went after the guy like an amateur vigilante. Leather jacket, ski mask, and a bat." Will told her.

"Oh my god. Why would she do that?" Emily asked.

"I'm not sure. Considering the guy's a deadbeat asshole who hits women, I'm not crying over spilled milk." Will replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Besides, I did kick his butt and he's now in jail. He already had more than a dozen assault charges filed against him so now he's where he belongs."

"Why would Laurel go after him like that?" Aria asked and Will shrugged his shoulders.

"She's clearly going through something with Sara's death. Maybe going after the guy was some kind of way to get rid of her stress." Will said as he tossed his coffee cup over his shoulder and it sunk right into the garbage can with no problem.

"Showoff." Aria joked causing him to chuckle. "Are you going to tell Captain Lance about Sara?"

"I don't know. How would I even bring it up? It's not like I can walk right up to him in the precinct and tell him that I have a hunch that your daughter is dead based on a conversation between Laurel and the Arrow and suspecting that she worked for him as the Canary." Will suggested. "That conversation's likely to get me arrested or shot and I just spoke to him last night saying that I was on his side."

"Well, if Sara really is dead then he deserves to know." Emily said and Will nodded.

"I know he does but do I have the right to tell him that or should I get Laurel to do that? I mean, where's the line I shouldn't cross in this situation?" Will asked, not sure how to proceed with this. "Ugh, things were easier when I was fighting Shocker."

"You really wish to get attacked by another supervillain over dealing with this?" Spencer asked and Will shook his head no.

"No, of course not." Will knocked on the wooden table to stop from jinxing himself…if only that worked.

After their little coffee chat, Will went to the science lab with Dr. Connors to put the final touches to the Recombinator sample for their first cancerous tumor trial. Will finished up calibrating the RNA sequencing liquid as Dr. Connors prepared the Recombinator for the first test. Rather than use an animal like Pinky for this test, they were testing the Recombinator on a cancer tumor sample on a petri dish which was still viable and alive. It still gave them the same results of a live subject and it didn't involve animal cruelty of subjecting an animal to cancer which just sat wrong with both of them.

Will finished up the last of the gene sequencing and energized the vial, causing it to glow for a bit before it went back to normal. Will took the vial and walked over to the Recombinator and put it in as Dr. Connors powered it up.

"All right, DNA genetic sequencing Recombinator test on malignant tumor sample TR-1 commencing. RNA dosage number 13.257 loaded for testing." Dr. Connors spoke into a tape recorder as he and Will put on their safety goggles and got behind the machine. "Commencing Recombinator beam in three…two…one…mark."

Dr. Connors pressed enter on the keyboard and the mechanical arm moved the Recombinator into position. The Recombinator hummed and powered up, then fired a beam of green energy at the petri dish for duration of 20 seconds. It was twice as long as the regular tumor trial but eventually the beam stopped and the Recombinator powered down. "Recombinator sample depleted. Beam duration 20.2 seconds." Dr. Connors spoke into his tape recorder. "Status?"

Will checked on the sample with the computer and based on the readings there was improvement with the malignant tumor. "Tumor growth reduced by 25% percent and the vitals has improved." Will replied as Dr. Connors nodded.

"Let the record show that RNA number 13.257 caused tumor reduction by 25% and improved vitals. RNA 13.257 will start as viable base for future trials." Dr. Connors spoke into his tape recorder and then turned it off. "All right, we use this one as a base and see what we need to improve its effects."

"Roger that." Will replied as they got to work on what improvements could be made to the serum, unknown to the fact that tonight he'd encounter his second supervillain.

At the secret hidden Smythe secret lab where Spencer Smythe housed the Black Widow, he and his son were working as fast as they could to make sure it would be ready but still required some more time before it was operational to take down Spider-man. Unfortunately, time was not on their side.

Hammerhead strolled into the lab to see both Smythe's working on the Black Widow. Spencer looked over some data on a tablet when he saw the flat-headed enforcer of Mr. Lincoln walk in. "Hammerhead, what need brings you here to distract us from our work?" Spencer Smythe asked.

"What do you think? It's the bug. Ever since he took down Montana, he's been upping his activities in the city and it's been hurting the Big Man's profits. Get that machine of yours up and running and hunt the web head down." Hammerhead ordered.

"We can't. The Black Widow isn't fully operational at the moment and still requires time to complete construction." Alistair replied.

"How much time are we talking here?" Hammerhead asked.

"By the end of the month is the earliest we can guarantee. If you want Spider-man dealt with permanently, then you'll have to be patient." Alistair told him so Hammerhead grabbed Alistair by the shirt and hoisted him up out of his wheelchair.

"Patience is something the Big Man is running out of." Hammerhead warned him. Spencer saw this little show and needed something to stall for time so brought up a project file on his tablet labelled _VLTR-05_. "The longer Spider-man is out there, the more money the Big Man loses and the more he loses, the angrier he gets and you don't want to make the Big Man angry."

"And using your anger against us won't do you any good seeing as how our technology is the only hope you have against Spider-man. Now put me down." Alistair told him which actually made Hammerhead smirk seeing his bravery.

"Perhaps there is another option." Spencer Smythe suggested so Hammerhead put Alistair down. "The Black Widow will not be ready for a while but perhaps another one of our projects can be used to stop the Spider-man, if not at least slow him down."

"I'm listening." Hammerhead said as Spencer brought up the image of the file onto a bigger screen so they could see and what he saw made Hammerhead smirk. "Not bad."

"All we shall need is a volunteer, preferably someone with flight experience." Spencer said and Hammerhead nodded.

"I'll find someone. Get that thing ready and pray it works better than the thing you gave Montana." Hammerhead warned him before leaving. Spencer Smythe walked over to the elevator, inserted a keycard and input a four digit code to head down to a specialized vault located underground where _Project VLTR_ was waiting.

A few hours later, Hammerhead returned with the volunteer for Smythe's special suit and they had flight experience and were more than willing to take down Spider-man. His name was Adrian Toomes, a former Airforce engineer and pilot who was dishonorably discharged for recklessly modifying fighter jets and he was suspected in the theft of various parts and equipment used in heists. It was never proven so he was discharged and ever since he's been a bad guy for hire and he's been employed by the Big Man. **(1)**

"So, what's the job?" Toomes asked as they walked into the warehouse.

"Simple. Smythe's gonna give you a fancy suit like he did with Shocker and you use it to kill Spider-man. You do that, the Big Man is willing to pay you handsomely for his corpse." Hammerhead told him causing Toomes to smirk.

"Fine by me." Toomes replied as they walked into the lab to see Spencer and Alistair waiting.

"Is this your man?" Alistair asked.

"That he is. Toomes, meet Smythe and his son." Hammerhead made the introduction. "Your suit ready for Toomes?"

"Of course, it is. And it will be more than enough to take care of Spider-man if Mr. Toomes is capable of flying it." Alistair said.

"I can fly anything," Toomes said with pride causing Spencer Smythe to chuckle.

"There has never been anything like this." Spencer pressed a few buttons and a part of the floor rose up to reveal something that made Hammerhead and Toomes smirk in delight. It was an Exo-suit that resembled a high-tech flight harness. Razor sharp metal blades fanned out and resembled the wings of a bird with a 12-foot wingspan. There were two high-tech turbines on each wing with a specialized Hydrium energy core on the back that powered the whole suit and an additional back thruster/engine for additional speed and maneuverability. The wings were attached to a harness with hydraulic/pneumatic pressure rigs to the arms and legs and attached to the feet of the harness were clawed talons like a bird made up of a razor sharp metal. There was a high-tech helmet and breathing mask on the side with a flight suit/jacket. **(2)**

"I give you the Vertical-Lightweight-Tactical-Reconnaissance air suit or as I call it, Project Vulture." Spencer announced as Toomes walked over to the suit and looked it over. "While originally designed as a specialized air force suit that would allow the pilot to stealth recon an area, I've repurposed it for combat. It is powered by a Hydrium energy core, making it the most powerful flight suit known to man. It can easily reach up to speeds of 200 miles per hour and its maneuverability in the air is unmatched by even the most advanced helicopters. The wings are made up of a titanium/obsidian carbine polymer blend making them lightweight, durable, and razor sharpened along with being fully articulated. The turbines on the wings and engine on the back are your primary means of propulsion. The breathing mask and flight jacket will protect you from the force of the flight and provide you with oxygen while the helmet gives you an advance HUD system and helps you control the suit."

Toomes walked up to the suit and looked it over, running his finger along one of the wing blades and the sharp metal pricked his finger and made him bleed a tiny bit. He smirked before he grabbed the helmet and turned it on, causing it to light up a dark green. "You said you repurpose this for combat, so what do I have to work with?"

"You have two razor sharp clawed talons on the feet which also aid in moving through the environment. Your arm harnesses have extendable arm blades and grant you increased strength. The right arm gauntlet has a .45 caliber Gatling submachine gun capable of firing 50 rounds per second while the left has twin gas-powered grapple spears along with triple explosive heat seeker rockets." Alistair Smythe explained.

"More than enough firepower to deal with Spider-man." Spencer Smythe said and Hammerhead nodded.

"All right, Toomes. Get suited up and get hunting for Spider-man. The Big Man wants his suit decorating his office." Hammerhead told him as Toomes nodded.

"Give me some time to personalize this stuff and tonight, the Vulture is going hunting." Toomes said with a smirk.

Line Break xxxxx

Will finished up with Dr. Connors early for the day at around 5pm which gave him more time in the afternoon than usual. He went to the coffeehouse and scarfed down a muffin before he decided to go see the girls. He walked through the quad when he saw Aria talking with someone. He was older than they were, not by much but didn't seem to be a student so he was most likely a professor or teacher. Aria said goodbye and saw Will so he walked over.

"Hey, Will. What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Dr. Connors let me leave early so I just scarfed down a blueberry muffin and was on my way to come find you." Will said when he noticed the smile on her face. "So, who was your buddy that you're thinking of replacing me with?"

"Oh, Will, nobody can replace you." She said with a smile. "That was Mr. Fitz. He just came to the school and is working for the English Department as a junior professor. He's awesome. He's writing a book so I talked to him about it after class."

"Awesome. He seems cool and from the way it looked to me, it seems as though he's likes you too." Will said as Aria punched his shoulder. "Then again, I'm not the expert on things like that so take my word with a grain of salt."

"Duly noted." Aria replied when Emily texted her saying that she was with Spencer and wondering where they were so Aria texted them where they were and that Will was with her. "Emily and Spencer are on their way over. We were planning to head into the city to check out the new Thai place. Want to come with?"

"Sounds good to me." Will replied. "So, how's everything going with you? Any news on that fashion show your professor said was a possibility?"

"Yeah, actually. You remember that?" Aria asked.

"Aria, it was only two days ago and I have a near eidetic memory." Will reminded her.

"I know but given everything that you've been dealing with, I didn't think you'd remember." Aria said as Will looked at her. He stood up straight with her and held her by the shoulders.

"Aria, you are my best friend. I wouldn't be the person I am…the hero I am without you. Never doubt that. Anything that's important to you is important to me no matter what Spider-man deals with." He told her, causing her to smile.

"It's cute when you get all sentimental like that, Will." Aria smiled at him as she moved some hair behind her ear and tried to control her blush. "And you do know you just referred to yourself in the third person, right?"

"Not really. Sure, I wear the mask but as far as I'm concerned, Spider-man's world and Will Detmers are two separate things and besides the fact that I make his tech, I'm not going to let those worlds intertwine." Will promised. "I need to make sure that the world doesn't suspect that Will Detmer, college nerd who underwent a drastic body change could possibly be Spider-man. Best part of the mask is that anyone can be under there."

"Wow, way to get deep." Aria joked causing Will to chuckle. "Well, I'm glad to know the man behind the mask. He's the hero this city deserves."

"Save that statement till I get more of a handle on the whole superhero thing." Will joked as the two looked at one another. Will smiled at Aria, to this day she was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever met and unlike the girls he knew growing up a school she was one of three that treated him with respect. He was glad they were friends but…could there be something more. NO! She was his best friend and she probably didn't even feel the same way…she deserved better.

"Uh, excuse me." Will and Aria heard as they turned and saw Emily and Spencer standing there. "Are we interrupting something?"

"No." They both replied as Aria adjusted her hair and Will cleared his throat. "Just waiting for you two to show up."

"Uh huh." Spencer replied with an all-knowing smirk.

"So, shall we go eat?" Aria asked and the four took a trip into the city. The Thai restaurant was awesome, reasonably priced and had a great atmosphere. The Pad Thai was delicious and the food they ordered was good and it didn't do any damage to their wallets. They sat at their table having just eaten a lot of food and were feeling stuffed...well, Aria, Spencer, and Emily were feeling stuffed but Will felt fine and was happily munching on his desert.

"You ate those spring rolls, dumplings, Pad Thai, Curry and the sticky rice. How can you still possibly eat?" Spencer asked.

"One of the benefits of my powers is that I burn up a lot more calories than I normally did, which means I can eat a lot more and not worry about gaining weight. Besides, I burn it off every night going out into the city." Will said as he finished his ice-cream and wiped his mouth.

"I hate you so much right now." Aria glared at him. "God, I wish I had your powers right now."

"Really?" Emily asked.

"Sure, it'd be kind of cool to swing through the city, grow taller, be a hero." Aria listed.

"Yeah, beating up bad guys, dodging gunfire and dealing with police who don't like you and civilians who constantly ask if I wear a mask to hide the fact that I have a spider face is fun." Will told her causing Aria to think a moment about her answer.

"I take back what I said." Aria replied. "But, maybe my new workout regime will help."

"What workout regime?" Will asked.

"Boxing." Emily said as Will looked at her. "We talked it over and we're up to trying boxing lessons."

"But only if you do it with us." Spencer told him. "You suggested the idea and it's not fair if we're the only ones who are getting punched."

"Fair enough." Will replied as he took out some money to pay his bill. "So, we can head to Ted's gym now if you want to drop off the forms and figure out a workout schedule?"

"Sounds good." Emily said so she and the girls paid their share, grabbed their stuff and left the restaurant.

They walked through the city and made their way to Ted Grant's gym. They walked in and saw him finish up a beginners class with the students packing their bags and leaving. Ted wiped his forehead with a towel when he saw Will and his friends. "Hey there. I was hoping you four would be back." Ted said.

"Well, you must be intuitive because here we are." Will joked as he and the girls handed him their forms. "We're up to taking some boxing lessons."

"Ok. Let's get you guys ready." Ted took the forms and placed them in his office and grabbed some stuff they would need which included tape for their hands, some beginners gloves and Wildcat boxing hoodies. "So, Red or Black?"

"I'll take red. It's been my color for a while." Will said as he took the red hoodie and saw the Wildcat logo on it. "Nice logo."

"Thanks. So, I can set aside Tuesday and Thursday nights for lessons along with the weekend if that works for you." Ted said as Will, Aria, Spencer, and Emily seemed to think that would work. "All right, let's get everything squared away."

Ted helped them organize their schedule and told them what the lessons would entail and what they should do when they're not training at the gym. Their first lesson would be start next week given that this weekend they had parent's day so they'd be busy and Ted understood that. He just told them to try and get some cardio in for the weekend so they don't gas out for their lesson. They settled the payments for the lessons and once they were happy with how things were set they made their way back to the city.

"All right. It doesn't seem so bad. And the new sweatshirt is nice." Aria said, looking it over.

"We'll see if you say the same thing after our first class." Will replied. "Something tells me your excitement will turn into groans of pain."

"Ha-ha." Aria punched his shoulder causing him to chuckle. "You may be agile and have spider sense but I promise I will land one punch on your pretty face."

"Oh, I'd pay to see that happen." Emily joked as she got an idea to make Will fluster and have some fun. "But if I were you, Will I'd be more concerned about myself and keeping it together during our lessons."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Will asked.

"Oh, only that we're all going to be taking boxing lessons so we'll all be sweating…wearing small workout clothes…together…close together." Emily suggested and Aria and Spencer caught on.

"Yeah, I mean I know a bunch of guys on campus that would love to be in your position." Spencer suggested causing Will to gulp and a bead of sweat to drop down his forehead.

"You think you can handle yourself, Spidey?" Aria asked, making Emily and Spencer chuckle.

"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny." Will exhaled, cleared his throat, and opened up his collar a bit to cool himself down. "Sure, mock the nerd who never had a date. Good grief."

"Oh, you may be a superhero but you're still too easy to mess with, Will." Aria laughed when they heard a whole mess of sirens and four police cars sped past them on the street.

"That's not a good sign." Spencer said when they heard a phone ringing. Will opened his backpack and saw it was his burner phone.

"That's a worst one." He took out his phone and answered. "Yuri, what's up?"

 _"_ _Hey, we've got a situation. An armored car was attacked en route to the Starling Mutual bank. The guards were attacked by something and whoever did this has a lot of fire power. We've gotten reports of a lot of damage and destruction by some unknown assailant. There's already four officers injured."_ Yuri told him.

"All right, where am I heading?" He asked.

 _"_ _Our latest reports suggest that Laurence Square is the sight of the latest attack. I have no idea what you're running into so be careful."_ Yuri said to him.

"Thanks. I'm on my way." Will hung up and put his phone away. He saw a cab coming down the street so he waved and it pulled up. "Hey, take them to Starling City University."

"You got it." The driver replied as Emily, Spencer, and Aria got in the cab and closed the door when they all got in.

"Head back to the dorms. I'll be there when I'm done here." Will told them.

"Be careful." They said and he nodded. He pats the top of the car and the taxi drove away. Will checked the street and saw he was alone so he ran into the alley, pulled his suit and equipment out of his backpack, quickly got changed and put on his web shooters, slipped his mask onto his face before web zipping high into the air and landing on the rooftop. He webbed his backpack to the ground there and super jumped off the roof, flipping through the air and fired a web line at a building. He swung low and ran on the side of a building before shooting another web line at a taller building and yanked himself into the air and began swinging to Laurence Square.

He swung over to a building and ran straight up it, then used a web line and banked across the roof before nose diving to the ground. He shot a web line and used the momentum to swing high into the air. He swung down the street and heard the sirens and saw the smoke of whatever incident Yuri told him about. He swung and flipped through the air and landed on the side of a building to see what looked like a small battle had occurred on the street. The armored car looked like it had been ripped in two, the guards were tied up with some kind of metal cable, and the two nearby police cars were destroyed. One was on fire while the other was upside down and had crashed into a fire hydrant. Additional police, emergency services, and paramedics were on the scene to take care of the injured officers and bystanders who got caught in the crossfire.

"HELP!" He heard as he saw some people trying to move rubble off of a man who was trapped. He jumped, flipped through the air and landed next to the group of civilians.

"Stay back, I got it." Spider-man told them as he grabbed the large chunk of rubble, grits his teeth and heaved, lifting it off the man and pushing it away. He grabbed the man and took him over to the paramedics.

"DAD! RICHARD!" He heard as the man's husband and son came over, hugging him and glad he was alive.

"Richard…that's a good name." Spider-man said.

"Thank you." The wife thanked him and he nodded back. He jumped away and landed by the drivers. He grabbed ahold of the metal cable holding them together and ripped it two.

"Are you two all right?" He asked.

"Yeah, we're fine. A little bruised but we'll live. Thanks, Spider-man." The driver said.

"Don't mention it. Who did all this? It looks like a min-war just took place." He said as the driver shook his head

"I don't know. Something just came at us out of nowhere." The driver said.

"It just rammed into the truck, yanked us out and tied us up before taking out the police escort. Just a blur of green, I think but I could have sworn I saw metal." The guard said as he rubbed his arm to try and ease the pain. "But there was a tracker in the duffel bags of money that activates if they're taken from the truck."

After the guard finished his sentence three police cars raced by with sirens ablaze and were heading north. "And I think they got it." Spider-man said, super-jumping forward and began web swinging through the city to follow the police cars. Soon, more police cars and SWAT vans joined the caravan which meant he was going likely going in the right direction to find the robber. He flipped through the air shot another web when his spider sense went off big time. "What the—UGH!"

He was cut off as something fast blindsided him from behind and bashed him through the air. The impact was like being hit by truck as whatever it was came in fast and was made up of metal. He fell through the air and quickly shot a web line at a building but was too late and crashed on the hood of one of the police cars which screeched to a stop. The officers in the car saw Spider-man crash on the hood and break the windshield but miraculous he sat up.

"Ugh, that's gonna hurt tomorrow." Spider-man twisted his neck and cracked a few bones when he saw the two officers looking at him in awe. "Sorry about your car. You guys have insurance, right? Do they cover superhero damage? Do we need to exchange info—"

He was cut off again when a metal rope wrapped around him and yanked him through the air. "AH!" He shouted as he was being dragged by something powerful and moving very fast. He was dragged low to the ground and smashed into the street a few times. "UGH, talk about road rash!"

Whatever was dragging him sped up and he caught up the police caravan and was tussled around so he smacked into four cars. The driver of the SWAT truck looked out his window and saw a tied up Spider-man being smacked into police cars like someone was using him as a lure to string up a car. Spider-man hit another police cruiser and managed to jumped off the roof, flip to his feet and began running as fast as he could so he didn't smash into another car. Spider-man looked to his side and saw the driver looking at him funny.

"Hi there! Does this road take me to the DA's office or the hospital?!" He asked as he was lifted into the air very rapidly. "NEVER MIND!"

Spider-man was being taken up into the air by whatever was holding him. The metal rope around his body was tight and clung his arms to his side so he wiggled as much as he could to try and get his hands into a position to help. He looked up at what was carrying the rope but because of the night sky he couldn't get a clear view of his attacker. He heard the sound of some kind of engine and the distinct glow of green eyes.

Spider-man aimed one of his hands up and shot some webs into the eyes of his attacker, momentarily blinding him. His attacker began shaking a bit which gave Will an opportunity to escape. He ripped himself free of the metal cables and was in freefall before he shot a web line at the mooring mast of a tall skyscraper and began swinging through the air. His flying attacker hovered in the air and began firing a machine gun but the bullets whizzed past him in the air as he swung around the skyscraper. Spider-man fired back and shot web bullets at his attacker who hovered and veered through the air to avoid them until he got hit in the chest and face. The attacker then flew forward and sliced his webbing with some kind of metal blade, sending Spider-man falling to the ground. Before he could shoot out a web, the flying attacker knocked him through the air and he slammed into the side of a building.

"Ugh…that's gonna hurt tomorrow." He said to himself. He pulled himself out of the hole in the side of the building and saw his attacker hover in the air in front of him, giving his first good look at whatever attacked him. It was a man in some kind of flight suit with massive metal wings. The wings were sharp and had turbine engines on them and the harness had weapons and clawed talons on the feet with the pilot wearing a dark green flight jacket and breathing mask. "Either I'm seeing a giant flying birdman or I was hit harder than I thought."

 **"** **And you're about to get hit harder, web head!"** The man shouted as he unsheathed one of his arm blades and flew forward with the full intent of killing him. Will saw him coming so he quickly flipped upward and his attacker stabbed the impact crater. The man looked up and saw Spider-man hanging upside on the side of the building.

"I don't know what I did to you but is there any chance we can talk about this?" Spider-man asked. Toomes unsheathed his other arm blade and swiped at the wall crawler but he flipped to the side. "Seriously, I think talking about his might deescalate the situation!"

 **"** **Shut up!"** Toomes shouted and pulled off the side of the building Spider-man was stuck to and sent it careening towards the ground. Spider-man held on for dear life as he and the chunk of building he was stuck to spin through the air. He quickly fired four web lines at two buildings which slowed his descent and the falling debris. He grits his teeth and held onto the chunk of wall with his feet to make sure it didn't fall down and injure a bystander. The webbing sprung back upward so Spider-man flung the chunk of wall at his attacker, thinking it would be enough but he was wrong.

His attacker smashed through the chunk of concrete and brick with his wings and punched him in the face, knocking him through the air. He flew forward and bashed him with the flat side of his wings like he was a tennis ball and Spider-man was sent flying. Spider-man tried to fire a web but his winged assailant just knocked him to the ground.

"Oh, shit!" Spider-man shouted as he fell to the ground but Toomes grabbed his leg. He flew through the air and dragged him alongside buildings where Spider-man bashed his head against brick and concrete every second. Toomes then threw Spider-man through some the windows of an office building and he came out the other side. "This is ridiculous!"

Spider-man fired a web line at a building and saw his attacker flying straight at him so he fired a thick web net and ensnared him like a bird. Spider-man swung to the roof of a building and quickly reloaded his web shooters as fast as he could. Toomes hovered in the air with the engine on his pack while he articulated his wings and snipped the webbing like he was using scissors. He looked down and saw Spider-man on the roof of a building so he fired two missiles at him. Spider-man's felt his spider sense go off so he quickly dove to the side and then quickly shot a web line at a water tower to zip up and avoid both missiles. He flipped and swung around the water tower as Toomes fired a barrage from his Gatling submachine gun and riddled it with bullet holes. Spider-man slipped underneath the tower and vaulted through the rigging before flipping onto the top of the tower and fired a barrage of web bullets that his attacker avoided.

"So, do you have a name or should I keep calling you birdman? I don't mind sticking with birdman but if I keep calling you that then we might get in some legal trouble!" Spider-man shouted.

 **"** **Call me…Vulture."** Vulture proudly pronounced when he heard snickering from Spider-man.

"Seriously? You're gonna name yourself after a carcass picking trash chicken. Vultures aren't even that cool; they're just oversized rats with wings. Now, eagle or falcon would have been a better name but that's more for heroes I think. Besides, isn't there a guy named Falcone flying around?" He asked out loud.

 **"** **God, do you ever shut up?!"** Vulture fired another missile at Spider-man but he flipped out of the way and it destroyed the water tower.

"Geez, someone is getting a little testy because they have a stupid name." Spider-man joked and quickly back flipped off a building before shooting two web lines and slingshot himself right at Vulture. "INCOMING!"

Spider-man blindsided Vulture with that slingshot tackle and began nailing some punches to the chest but when he punches the helmet, his fist hurt. "Geez, dude what is that helmet made of?" Spider-man grabbed his hand in pain which was a bad idea because Vulture used his distraction and punched him in the face. Spider-man fell to the ground but shot a web line at Vulture's legs and swung himself back up and onto his back where he saw some turbines and a jet engine. "Ok, this looks importan—"Before he could do any kind of tampering, his spider sense went off again. He turned and one of Vulture's wings articulated itself and knocked him off. Spider-man shot a web line and swung onto the side of a building, clutching his chest in pain. He looked down and saw some blood on his hand along with three massive slash marks on his sweatshirt and body suit. "Argh, that hurts…and will take all night to stich back up."

His spider sense went off and he quickly back flipped up the wall to avoid Vulture impale his wings into the buildings. "Yikes! Those wings are a serious safety hazard!" He shouted as Vulture plucked his wings from the wall and swiped at him again so he back flipped up the wall. Vulture swiped three more times so Spider-man side flipped, ducked and butterfly flipped to avoid them. "Seriously! I mean those things need safety covers on them!"

Spider-man shot a web line at his helmet and yanked down hard so he slammed Vulture's face into the building. He quickly back flipped to avoid Vulture's wings and then jumped over, falling straight to the ground but one of Vulture's foot talons caught his leg.

 **"** **I don't think so, web head!"** Vulture threw Spider-man up into the air and latched his left talon around his body and slammed him into the side of a building. Vulture unsheathed one of his blades and tried to impale Spider-man's head but the web head moved it at the last second and got it stuck in the wall. Spider-man elbowed Vulture in the mask and then punched him in the chest before firing impact webbing at his left wing turbine. The webbing gummed up the turbine and caused it to stop moving. He shot some webs at Vulture's free arm and webbed it to the wing when Vulture picked up Spider-man with his talon and threw him through the air.

He quickly shot a web line and began swinging through the city while Vulture cleaned up the webbing in his turbine and followed him. Spider-man sped up a bit to gain some distance when he saw a narrow alleyway between two buildings and zipped through. He fit through easily but Vulture wouldn't be able to with his massive wings. He flew over the buildings to try and locate Spider-man but he seemed to disappear so he flew away.

Will poked his head out from the side of a building and sighed in relief before grabbing his chest in pain. He looked and saw the blood stain his gloves. "This is gonna be a pain in the butt to clean out." He said to himself and made his way back to school as quickly as he could.

Aria, Spencer, and Emily were in their dorm room wondering where Will was and if he was ok. They kept checking the news for any kind of information on what Will got into but there wasn't a lot to go on. They were dressed in their pajamas which consisted of shirts and shorts and were worried sick. Aria was pacing back and forth in the dorm room while Spencer and Emily were sitting on her bed and thought she looked a little manic.

"Will's fine, right? I mean, it's not like this is the first time he's been out late to protect the city. And those times he didn't even tell us but he'll be fine. But it seemed pretty serious and he would have let us know if he was hurt, right? I mean, Will would keep us in the loop." Aria said.

"Aria, where is your off switch? You're gonna blow a circuit." Emily told her.

"No. This is just level two. Do you two wanna see level three?" Aria asked, obviously racked with worry about Will. "Oh man I should have continued those yoga classes. I need ice-cream. No, I need coffee. No, what I need is a little sanity back in my life guys."

"I think she just hit level three." Spencer whispered to Emily and she nodded.

"Okay, ujjayi breath, Aria. Just breath." Aria took a few sharp and deep breaths to try and calm down.

"Better now?" Emily wondered.

"No, ok I'm freaking out. What is Will's really hurt or something? Isn't the not knowing driving you two crazy?" Aria asked.

"Of course it is Aria but panicking isn't going to help us at all." Spencer told her. "We're just as worried about Will as you are but it's not like we can go to the police and file a missing person's report or tell them he's Spider-man."

"Then maybe we should call Yuri. They're friends so maybe she could go look for him." Aria suggested.

"Aria, we don't even know where to start and if Will's in any danger. Half the time you call him when he goes out it goes straight to voicemail because he's busy fighting or snooping. He'll be fine." Emily told her while Aria sighed in exhaustion and exasperation.

"I'm sorry, but all this suspense and not knowing is killing me." Aria said. Emily and Spencer shared a look of confusion. Ever since Will's become Spider-man and his patrols out into the city became a regular thing they all worried from time to time but Aria seemed more worried than usual…like something changed. "I don't even know why I'm freaking out this."

"I think I do." Emily said with a knowing smirk.

"Am I supposed to understand that underlying tone you have in your voice?" Aria asked.

"Aria, is the reason for your…more manic than usual worrying about Will because…you're extra worried about him?" Spencer asked.

"Of course, I'm worried about him." Aria replied when she saw the looks she was getting and understand what she meant. "Oh, wow. Guys."

"Seriously, Aria…is there something going on with you and Will?" Emily asked.

"No, ok. Nothing is going on with us. We've stayed the same as we always have. Best friends…and I name and design his Spider-man stuff…and I talk to him when things are tough or I need someone to listen…and…" Aria seemed to lose track of where she was going with that sentence.

"And maybe you two have something more going on." Spencer suggested. "Because I could have sworn that you two almost kissed before Emily and I showed up."

"It wasn't like that." Aria said, sitting down in her desk chair and putting her bathrobe one. "We were just catching up about what was going on like we always do. I told him about the new professor and he wanted to know about the fashion show my design professor wants to host here, which by the way is officially greenlit so ladies prepare yourselves in a month." Aria told them.

"Noted, now go on." Emily said.

"And I thought it was kind of cute he remembered given everything he's been dealing with and he told me that no matter what he'd make sure I'm a priority in his life. And how he wouldn't be the person he is…he wouldn't be the hero he is without me." Aria said, smiling at the memory and how sweet it is. "For a guy who has never been in a relationship he really knows the right things to say to sweep a girl off her feet."

Emily and Spencer shared a smirk at that statement because it pretty much confirmed what they were thinking. Aria took a second from her own mind and realized what she just said out loud. "Oh my god, did I say that out loud?" she asked.

"You did and you can't take it back." Spencer said.

"The reason you're so panicked and worried is that you like Will…as in more than just a best friend." Emily told her.

"No, that's crazy…" Aria said, looking at Emily and Spencer who gave her a look. "Am I that obvious?"

"A little." Spencer motioned her over so Aria got up and sat between the two. "I think that if Emily and I hadn't shown up so soon in the courtyard…he would have definitely leaned in and kissed you."

"Or I would have kissed him." Aria said before dropping her head into her hands. "Oh my god, what is wrong with me? I never been this confused or neurotic with any other guy I've dated."

"Maybe because we all know that Will is different. I mean, besides the glaring super-powered different." Emily joked and they shared a chuckle. "He's just that kind of guy that makes you feel…"

"Like the center of the universe?" Spencer asked. "It's a rare quality that few men have. And a guy like Will is a rare one-in-a-million find. I'm just lucky enough I managed to see how great of friend he's been. You two have known him longer."

"Aria, you should talk to Will about this. Knowing him…I know he feels the same way about you." Emily said to her.

Before Aria could reply, they heard a knocking on their window. Spencer walked over and saw Will stuck on the side of the dorm building. He had his backpack slung over his shoulder but his sweater was a little bloody and he looked like he was breathing heavily. "Oh my god!" Spencer opened the window and Will looked at her.

"Hey there, Rapunzel, can you let me in?" He joked as she grabbed his hand and pulled him in.

"Oh my god, Will!" Aria rushed over to help him inside.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Emily rushed to the bathroom as Aria and Spencer helped him.

"Will, what happened?" Aria asked as she and Spencer helped him sit down against the bed.

"Don't worry about me, you should see the other guy. The other guy, in this instance being a guy with metal wings." Will told her, pulling off his mask and taking a deep breath.

"Take off your sweatshirt and suit." Spencer told him as she grabbed some towels and water. Aria helped him take off the sweatshirt and saw the small amount of blood and three fairly large slash marks across the white spider emblem. Will took off the top part of his red suit so Aria could see the scratches and cuts on his chest.

"Oh my god, Will." Aria was beyond worried but he grabbed her hand.

"I'm ok." He told her as Emily came back with the first aid kit. "I managed to get in a few good attacks on him, but I've never dealt with a flying supervillain."

Emily took out some cleaning alcohol and doused a cotton swab with it. "This will sting a bit." Emily told him.

"I've been through worse." He nodded to her and she dabbed one of his cuts. He recoiled a bit from the pain. "Tch…ok, maybe I was wrong."

Aria went to the bathroom and wet a towel before rushing back and helping to clean his cuts. Spencer, being the brainy one of the three girls looked at his wounds while she helped clean the cuts on his face. "These don't look too deep. It looks like you got lucky." Spencer told him.

"Or maybe I knew exactly what I was doing, Spence and he just got one lucky shot?" He joked as she rubbed one of the cuts on his head vigorously causing him to recoil in pain. "Or several lucky shots."

"How can you joke about this so casually, Will? I mean, look at you." Aria was more worried than normal and Will could tell. "He could have killed you."

"Hey, Aria…" Will grabbed her hand. "Don't worry about me."

"Well, too little too late for that." She told him.

"Aria…what's wrong?" Will asked. "You're more worried than usual. Tell me what's wrong?"

"Honestly, I'm beyond terrified for you." Aria replied.

"Why? I've been doing the same thing I have been for the past couple of months." Will told her.

"But's it's different now!" Aria blurted out, putting the towel down on the ground. Emily and Spencer saw this little back and forth between the two and decided to give them some space to talk.

"Emily, come with me to get some ice and more towels." Spencer said and the two quickly left, leaving Aria and Will to talk.

"Aria, I've known you long enough to know when something else is bothering you. What's wrong?" Will asked.

"What's wrong? I said it before, Will…I'm beyond terrified for you now." She told him.

"Aria, I've been doing my Spider-man thing for nearly five months now and you've never said anything before. You made me my new suit. What changed?" he asked.

"Before it was just garden variety bad guys who never poised a threat to you. But it's changed." Aria told him. "You fought a guy with supersonic gauntlets and now some winged guy nearly gutted you."

"He didn't gut me, just scratched with his talons." He replied.

"Will, I'm serious. Ok, whatever crusade you started as Spider-man is changing. It's not just regular criminals but supervillains and they can kill you." Aria said in a worried tone. Will looked at her and saw she was beyond worried about his safety. All this time he thought having his best friends and his mom knowing his secret was a good thing and it was but it also had a flipside. The worry and guilt Aria was feeling now was a byproduct of his actions. Sometimes keeping people in the dark about who you are and what you do might be able to save them the heartache.

Will felt his heart break seeing Aria like this so he reached up and cupped her cheek, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry, Aria. I really am. If I could go back and spare you from all this worry then I would." Will told her.

"It's not that, Will. I'm honored to be by your side through this but every night you go out I worry that you're one lucky bullet or knife away from ending up dead in a dumpster. But now you're dealing with high-tech supervillains." Aria said. "They can kill you."

"Maybe…" Will took a deep breath before he steadied himself. "But it's my responsibility to do this. If I don't, a lot of innocent people could get hurt. If I stop doing what I do, then there are lots of people out there who get hurt or worse. People the police can't help or the Arrow can't get to in time."

"But it shouldn't be your responsibility to save them." Aria said but he shook his head and cupped her other cheek with his hand as she held onto his wrist.

"It is. I made it mine the second I put on that mask. Starling City needs Spider-man….as much as I do and as much as I need you and the others." He admitted. "I wouldn't be able to do any of this if I didn't have you, Emily, or Spencer in my corner. I guess I never realized how much you would worry about me."

"Well, now you know how much." Aria told him and he smiled.

"Well, I'm beyond lucky to have you here taking care of me. I'm sorry there's nothing I can do to alleviate the worry you must feel but I will make you this one promise here and now…no matter what happens out there in the city, I will always come back." Will promised.

"You can't possibly promise that." Aria told him.

"You'll find that you can do anything when you're a superhero." Will joked and Aria chuckled. The two looked at one another and in that moment they felt something. "How lucky am I have you in my life?"

"Very." She replied.

"I mean it, Aria. Before you, I don't think my life could have turned out any better." He said.

"You know just what to say to melt a girl's heart." Aria told him.

"Not sure where this is all coming from. Maybe I'm just speaking the truth? I was always good at that." Will replied. The two looked at one another before Aria began to slowly lean in. Will wasn't sure what came over him but he leaned in to meet her as the two locked eyes. There was a certain stillness in the room, as if time had decided to stop all together. It was like Will and Aria were the only two people on the planet. They moved closer to one another as their eyes began to close. They froze just inches apart and waited for something to happen. "What's happening right now?"

"Something I'm ok with." Aria leaned in and kissed him. It was a gentle kiss but perfect. Aria's heart was beating so fast that she felt as if she couldn't catch a breath. Will went on autopilot kissing back but seeing as how he didn't have really any experience with this, he let her take the lead. Will kept his hand on her cheek while Aria moved her hand down his arm and felt his new muscles. The two continued kissing but kept it gentle and innocent until Aria's hand skimmed one of the cuts on his chest causing him to recoil in shock. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I'll heal. But I'd tough through it for another kiss." Will replied and she kissed him once more. "Please tell me I'm dreaming and if I am, don't wake me up."

"You're not dreaming. This is real." She told him, causing him to smile.

"Even better." He replied causing her to chuckle. Will leaned in and kissed her this time and she kissed back but before the two continued the kissing they heard a knock on the door.

"Sorry to ruin your moment guys but could you save it for later while we finish cleaning up?" Spencer asked.

"We'll pick this up later, I promise." Aria told him and he smiled and gave her one last quick kiss. "Ok, you can come in."

Emily and Spencer opened the door to see Will and Aria on the ground by the bed. "Sorry to interrupt the moment but it is probably a better idea to get Will cleaned up and bandaged first." Spencer said.

"You're right, Spence. You always are." Will said.

"But we're happy for you two." Emily told them.

"Now, Emily and I just have to deal with the fact that you two are going to get all mushy, lovey-dovey on us." Spencer said.

"We'll try and keep it to a minimum, Spencer." Aria replied.

Line Break xxxxx

Will spent the night in the girl's dorm room so they could look after him in case something happened. Will didn't like the idea of taking one of their beds so he got himself a spare pillow and slept on the floor. The next morning, Will was feeling a little sore from his fight with Vulture but was on the mend. His cuts and scratches had already healed over so he was good to go and now he just needed to find this guy. He opened his eyes and felt something on his side so he looked and saw Aria cuddled up next to him with her comforter around them. He used his free hand and moved some hair out of her face. Will leaned down and kissed her head which caused her to wake up. She opened her eyes and saw Will looking at her.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey, back. It's a good morning." He said to her as she leaned up and kissed him. "I could get used to this."

"So could I." Aria said, before taking a deep breath. "Will, you don't regret last night at all, do you?"

Will looked at her and smiled. "Of course not." He assured her.

"Good, me neither. I guess it makes us official." Aria leaned up and kissed him. She got up from her position on his shoulder as Will pulled her close and the kissing got a bit playful until they heard some shuffling from a bed. They looked and saw Spencer wake up.

"Ugh, guys come on, it's too early for this. The only thing I want to see in the morning is the sun and coffee, not my two best friends kissing on the floor and going to town." Spencer told them, wiping her eyes and trying to wake up.

"We're keeping it strictly PG here, Spencer." Will replied which woke up Emily.

"What's going on?" Emily asked, sitting up on her bed to see Will and Aria on the floor. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened." Aria said before giving Will another quick kiss. "We should get ready. You have an early class."

Will looked over and saw the clock and had about an hour before class started. "That I do and I need to wash up." Will grabbed his backpack. "I'll see you girls later."

"Definitely." Aria gave him a quick kiss. "Leave the upper suit and sweatshirt. I'll stitch it up quickly."

"Thanks." Will gave her one last quick kiss before he left. Aria smiled as she closed the door and leaned against it when she noticed the coy look Spencer was giving her.

"I know, I know. We'll try and tone it down." Aria told her before grabbing some clothes and a towel before heading to the bathroom.

Will managed to make it back to his room without anyone seeing him and took a quick shower before heading to his morning class. He did his best to try and focus on class but his mind was scattered. A quarter of mind tried to focus on the advanced math the professor was explaining while the other quarter was thinking about Vulture and how he was going to take him down. The remaining half of his brain was preoccupied with what transpired last night and this morning with Aria. Never did he think that he would get a girlfriend and he never thought it would be his best friend Aria. Aria's been there for him even before he got his powers when he was nerdy Will Detmer and she's been by his side through the whole Spider-man thing. She made him his suit, helped design his gadgets and she has helped him through it all.

"Mr. Detmer." His professor called. "If you seem so preoccupied with something else then that means you can answer the equation on the board."

Will looked at the board and saw the advanced math equation. "Four over Pi." Will answered.

"Correct but don't think because you answered correctly that it excuses you from not paying attention." His professor warned him.

"Yes, Professor." Will replied.

The class went on as normal and Will did his best to pay attention but it was hard. After class, Will made a call to Yuri to let her know about Vulture and see if she could track down a lead on where he could have gotten the tech and it most likely was the same place Shocker got his. He leaned against the wall of the math academic building on campus and called Yuri to talk. He was completely ignored by the other students and professors which was exactly what he needed.

 _"_ _Detective Yuri Watanabe?"_ Yuri answered her phone.

"Yuri, it's me." Will said. "How'd everything go last night?"

 _"_ _Other than the earful of cops who want payback for what happened, nothing new. Nice job with the cleanup at the Laurence Square but what the hell actually happened? No one seems to have a clear indication of the attackers and their motive."_ Yuri told him.

"I'd thought that'd be obvious. Wasn't it the money they took from the armored truck?" Will asked.

 _"_ _No, we recovered that. Our units tracked the signal from the GPS tracking beacon in the bag to an old warehouse. We got there in time because some Los Halcones almost took it."_ Yuri told him which just didn't make sense.

"Wait, so he attacked the armored truck but didn't take the money because…because I was the target." Will said, realizing that the whole armored truck robbery was a decoy to draw him out. He was the target. "Vulture wanted to draw me out."

 _"_ _Excuse me, Vulture?"_ Yuri asked.

"Yeah, we've got another supervillain nutcase in the city so Shocker isn't alone. He called himself Vulture and had some high-tech flight harness." Will told her.

 _"_ _Ok…that's a first. I guess putting an APB on a flying bird man is out of the question."_ Yuri said. _"So, how do we find this guy?"_

"That's why I'm calling. I think Vulture might be the second super villain created by the mysterious _Big Man_ crime boss we've been dealing with. The one Hammerhead reports to. Did you get anything out of Shocker?" he asked.

 _"_ _Nothing useable. Shocker's real name is Montana, a career criminal, mercenary and leader of Fancy Dan and Ox. He lawyered up immediately and gave us nothing."_ Yuri replied.

"What about his tech? High-powered sonic vibration gauntlets and a combat suit aren't exactly something you can find on the black market." Will suggested.

 _"_ _We struck out there, too. The tech was custom made and nothing like it has ever come up on our database. I even checked the FBI database and got nothing. I had our tech team go over it and all they could say is that the entire suit and weapons are cutting edge military quality. Nothing that Montana could get himself."_ Yuri told him.

"Then my hunch is right. Hammerhead and his mysterious boss are arming their idiots with high-tech weapons to take me down." Will said.

 _"_ _Looks like you got to them. And it means we're making them desperate. All the trouble we've gone through to take down their rackets means this Big Man is losing money and needs to take you out. This is a good thing."_ Yuri told him.

"Wow. Didn't know you had such a low opinion of me that you want to use me as live bait for two supervillains. I'm fine, by the way, thanks for asking." Will joked and heard Yuri chuckle over the phone.

 _"_ _You know what I mean. If the Big Man and Hammerhead are arming their associates with high-tech weapons, then it means they're desperate. And desperate people slip up. I'll work it from my end and see what I can dig up on the weapons. You just take down Vulture and try not to get yourself killed. I don't want to go through the headache of finding another partner."_ Yuri told him.

"Oh, so you see me as a partner. Well, _Spider-cop knew he would get the young detective onto his side. She was hesitant at first but now sees the value of working alongside such a grizzled veteran_." Will said in his Spider-cop voice when he heard the call drop. "Yuri? Yuri? You there? Hello? Now, I feel alone."

Will put his phone away and checked the time, seeing as how he didn't have another class for the day and that Aria was going to get out of her literature class soon, maybe he'd surprise her. He went to the coffee shop on campus and got Aria's favorite, a soy-milk latte and a blueberry muffin. He walked over to the English building and saw her class get out. Aria walked out, talking to that new professor Fitz she told him about yesterday and it seems like a fun conversation. Once Aria saw Will waiting outside, she bid him goodbye and walked over.

"Hey, you." Aria said, playfully.

"Hey, back. I figured you could use a pick me up." Will held out the latte and blueberry muffin. "Soy milk latte with a pump of vanilla and two sprinkles of cinnamon and I got you the last blueberry muffin."

"Oh, you know what I like best." Aria took a sip of her latte and it was perfect. "I guess besides being a superhero, you're also a super boyfriend."

"Save that idea until we're more than a day in our relationship." Will joked. Aria gave him a quick kiss on the lips and he kissed back, both of them missing the odd looks they were getting from Mr. Fitz before he left. "Wow, I'm still trying to get use to that."

"It's so cute when you get flustered." Aria joked as the two walked through the quad to see the other students relaxing on the grass and enjoying the day. "How are your cuts from last night?"

"Fine. They healed up already. A few scars but nothing too serious." Will assured her.

"Oh, well I always thought scars were kind of sexy." Aria smirked. She then chuckled seeing how flustered Will was getting. It was cute. "How long before you think you'll stop getting flustered?"

"I'm not sure. I'm kind of compensating for my entire high school life without a girlfriend so; maybe…give it a day or two?" Will asked.

"Sounds fair." Aria kissed him once again.

"Aria, I know I'm probably not the ideal boyfriend at the moment, seeing as how I have zero experience with this but I'll make it up to you. I promise." Will assured her.

"Hey, that doesn't matter to me. I don't care if you zero experience or were a raging playboy. Actually, scratch that last part because that wouldn't be fun." Aria said, causing him to chuckle. "I don't care about experience or anything like that. All I care about is you."

"Then I promise you'll get 100% bonafide Will Detmer." Will told her. "Now, I'm not entirely sure about how this works but I believe taking you out on our first date is the first thing I should do as your boyfriend."

"Actually, the first thing you should do as my boyfriend would be trying to figure out what I like best but seeing as how you already know that, you're ahead of the game." Aria joked.

"Good to know. I'll set something up for Friday night, how's that sound?" Will asked.

"Sound's great. Now, do you think you can give me a hint on what I should wear? More casual or should I get dressed up?" Aria asked.

"I'll let you know but I can promise you one thing that I'll just be you and me. No Spider-man, no crime fighting, just lovable science nerd Will Detmer." Will assured.

"Already sounds great." Aria gave him another kiss when she checked the time and saw she had to get to class. "I better go and head to my design class. I'll see you later."

"Definitely." Will gave her one last kiss goodbye and she left. Will looked and got a good view of her walking away when she stopped and turned to him and he realized he got caught.

"Take a picture, Spider-man, it'll last longer." She joked giving him a final playful wink before walking away.

"Phew, my luck is on the up." Will said to himself. He eventually made his way to Dr. Connors lab to get some work done on new prototype web shooters he was designing. He loved his current ones but there was always room to improve and maybe he could figure out a way to improve the capacity.

He tinkered with some components when Dr. Connors walked into the lab. "Afternoon, Will." Dr. Connors greeted him. "What are you working on?"

"Just tinkering with some ideas in my head." Will replied as he continued working. He was just working with basic parts so Dr. Connors couldn't tell what he was building. "I checked our cancer sample and tissue degradation went down 42%."

"Excellent." Dr. Connors walked over to a computer to check the sample himself. "It seems RNA 13.257 might be our basis going forward."

"Yup." Will replied when he began thinking about the date he had to plan for Aria and he could use some advice. "Dr. Connors, can I get your advice on something?"

"Sure, what is it?" Dr. Connors asked, doing some quick chemical formula adjustments on the computer.

"It doesn't have anything to do with our project or science in general. Rather…dating." Will said which made Dr. Connors stop and look at him.

"Dating?" Connors asked and Will nodded. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"It's Aria." He replied.

"Huh, interesting. Congratulations are in order. Aria's a great girl and you two are good together. So, what advice do you need from me?" Dr. Connors asked, happy to help his prized student anyway he could.

"Honestly, just all the general advice you could give me about dating and relationships. This is…well, my first real relationship with someone and its Aria. She's my best friend so I honestly have no idea how to go from here except to take what I learned from movies and TV shows." Will told him.

"Yeah, please don't do that." Dr. Connors told him and he nodded. "Honestly, Will the best advice I could give to you is to just be you."

"All right, ok. Be myself. That's not too hard." Will said. "What does that mean?"

"Sometimes in relationships, you try to be someone you're not. Don't make that mistake. Martha loved me for who I was when we first started dating and believe me I was a lot like you." Dr. Connors told him.

"I find that hard to believe." Will replied.

"No, it's true. I was a by the books science major and when I met Martha, I was beyond terrified of what to do or how I should act. But she didn't like me because I was trying to be something I wasn't, she liked me because I was being honest with who I was." Connors told him. "I can tell Aria likes being around you when you're in your natural element. And the fact that you've known each other so long kind of takes away all the awkward components of a first date with the trying to get to know each other. I'm sure she likes you for you, just remember to be all Will Detmer all the time."

"What if I want to keep one part of me away from all this?" Will asked and Dr. Connors was a bit confused by that question. "I'm just…concerned if being all of me is best if I want to be with her?"

"I'm a little confused by your question but the only thing I can tell you with certainty is that…no relationship should have secrets. What you and Aria have is something unique, so let her know all of you and I know she'll like it." Dr. Connors told him.

"Thank you, Dr. Connors. Sorry if this was kind of awkward." Will replied.

"I'm happy to help. Don't hesitate to come to me if you have any issues or questions." Dr. Connors told him.

"Hopefully, I'll figure it out as this goes along." Will replied and the two scientists got back to work.

After a couple hours of work he got a text from Aria that his suit was ready for him so he left to go pick it up. He knocked on her door only for Emily to answer. "Hey, Em. Is Aria here?" Will asked.

"No, she should be on her way here though." Emily replied, letting him in. "So, how are things between you two, huh?"

"Uh…good, I guess. We've been together for less than 24 hours. I still have a hard time believing what happened last night." Will told her. "Did Aria give you any indication…that she was interested in me? Romantically, I mean?"

"A little bit." Emily replied. "She was kind of having a little meltdown before you showed up and there was a bit of a moment we saw yesterday that we interrupted."

Will nodded but she could tell there was something bothering him. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Aria is amazing…if anything, I'm worried because as you girls know, this is my first real relationship. Aria's probably been in…" Will stopped himself from saying anything because the look Emily was giving him. "She has had her fair share of nice relationships, I'm sure but this is my first. What if I do something stupid and I not only ruin a relationship with an amazing girl but lose one of my best friends as well?"

"It's funny. You can recite Pi to 100 places and handle advance physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering like it's a piece of cake not to mention fight crime while cracking jokes but going on a date and having a girlfriend is your Achilles heel." Emily said with a small chuckle afterward.

"I'm so glad my social crisis is amusing to you, Em." Will gave her a sarcastic glare.

"Will, I know you won't do something stupid and so does Aria. She knows all this is kind of new territory for you. She's not excepting you to show up on a white horse and be her prince charming or be this romantic guy right out of Pretty in Pink. She just wants to be with you." Emily assured him. "Don't over think this like you do with your science things. You know Aria as well as she knows you. Use that to your advantage and just enjoy yourself."

"Right. Ok, I can do that." Will said to himself. "I'm freaking out, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are." Emily replied when they heard the electronic click of the door lock go off and Aria walked in.

"Hey." Aria greeted them.

"Hey, Aria." Emily replied back.

"Glad you came here. I've got your suit all stitched up." Aria opened her shoulder pack and took his upper suit which was rolled up. Will unrolled it and saw the nice stitching made it look like it was brand new and you couldn't make out the blood stains. "I stitched it up so it should be good to go and washed out some blood but with it being red, you don't even notice it's there. I also got you a new sweatshirt."

Aria took out a new looking blue sweatshirt with the black spider symbol. "After the whole garbage thing with Shocker, I figured you should have a spare." Aria told him.

"Thanks, Aria." He pulled her close and kissed her and she kissed back. "Maybe we should work on getting me some new suits."

"I'm ready and waiting. I've been even drawing up some new designs." Aria held up her sketchbook, excited to get to work on a new suit for him. "So, which one do you think we should start with?"

"Why don't you surprise me? You made me this one so I think I'll leave my next one up to you." Will told her, giving her one last kiss. "I'll call you later."

"Where are you going?" Emily asked.

"I'm going to see my mom about something and then I need to talk to Yuri. I need to find Vulture before he ups the carnage to try and lure me out again." Will told them.

"You think you can take him down this time?" Emily asked.

"I might. I saw an energy core on his back last night. I think if I take that out, it'll clip his wings. But said wings are the problem." Will replied.

"Why not use your acid bombs?" Aria asked.

"Acid bombs?" Will asked for a clarification.

"Those chemistry vials you said that erode metal. If Vulture's wings are metal then those should more than even the playing field. And chemistry metal melting vials is too long. Seeing as how you've taken a spider as a motif and that one horror movie you made us watch has spiders with acidic webbing, acid bomb seemed like a good name for them." Aria stated causing him to chuckle.

"Chemical metal embrittlement but it's ok. It's cute when you try to get all sciencey." She gave him a quick glare which made him chuckle more. "But I like it. And it'll probably work. Like I said before, I couldn't do this without you."

"Be careful and come back to me." She said. He nodded and gave her one last kiss.

"I'll be back." Will told her, leaving the room to head out into the city.

Line Break xxxxx

A group of four bad guys were waiting stealthily in a parking lot for someone to stop by because they had a message that needed to be sent. A young man walked out of a store so one of the guys nodded to the others and they quickly put on ski masks as two guys got in front of the civilian. "There's the snitch!"

"What? I'm no snitch!" He said when two of the guys grabbed his arms to keep him from running while the other took out a gun.

"The Big Man hates a lot of things but the one thing he despises of all of them is snitches!" He pointed the gun at the snitches face when Spider-man flipped above them and webbed the gun away. He landed on the ground and hurled it at one of the bad guys, hitting him in the back of the head.

"Oh, eight ball, corner pocket!" Spider-man shouted before shooting a web line at the other bad guy holding the snitch and yanked him away. He flipped forward and kicked the bad guy in the face before back flipping up into the air to avoid a baseball bat to the back. He landed on the bad guys shoulders and back flipped, throwing him through the air and into a fire hydrant. "Ooh, that's gotta hurt."

The fourth bad guy pulled out a knife and tried stabbing him but he kept missing. "Oops, so close! Almost there! Almost had it!" Spider-man quipped before grabbing his arm and flipping to the side. He threw him through the air and shot some impact webbing at him, sticking him to a fence. "Oh, nice try but A for effort."

The last bad guy conscious made a break for it but got hit in the back with some webs and slammed onto the ground. "And another bites the dust." He said to himself before webbing up the four bad guys together on the fence. "A bit of modern art, if I do say so myself."

"Thanks, Spider-man. I don't even want to think about what they would have done if you didn't show up in time." The civilian said.

"Don't worry about it. Saving people is what I do. But I could use some information on the Big Man." Spider-man told him which shocked the civilian.

"You know about the Big Man?" the civilian asked.

"I know about him. Mysterious crime boss the police have no idea who he is, has Hammerhead as his number two and that's about it. Anything you can give me?" He asked as the civilian looked around before giving a small nod.

"You saved my ass so it's the least I can do. Word has it that you've been hitting the Big Man's profit really hard so he hired some special super muscle to take you out." The informant told him.

"I've already met a few of them." He replied.

"Yeah. I've heard that the Big Man has his claws in some kind of tech company from Central City to make all the weapons. High tech stuff that no one else can get and specially made." The informant said.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"That's all I know at the moment. Hammerhead keeps most of his guys away from the special stuff. But I got wind of some new locations he's set up for income." The informant told him.

"Perfect." Spider-man looked at the bad guys webbed to the fence and fired another shot of impact webbing at them so they couldn't hear the conversation. "It's not going to be safe out in the open. Hammerhead and the Big Man will send more men after you. Go see Detective Yuri Watanabe and give her the information on Hammerhead's fronts and she'll help you get out of the city. You can trust her."

"Sounds good to me. I hear Central City is nice this time of year." The informant bid him goodbye and left just as the police arrived to arrest Hammerhead's goons. Spider-man left, swinging through the city when he saw 8 masked men on the roof of a building, trying to break into a door so he decided to ruin their evening.

One of masked men was using a crowbar to break open a locked security door to the roof of a diamond exchange. He broke the lock off but before he opened it, it was webbed shut and Spider-man landed down on top of the door. "Sorry fellas, but I'm pretty sure this place is closed now." He webbed the guy with the crowbar in the face and pulled, knocking his head into the door.

He then jumped into the air and flipped over the bad guys. Two of them pulled out pistols and fired some shots but missed. He landed on the ground and fired webs at the two guns, yanking them away and whipping them in the air at a goon's face, knocking him onto his back. He jumped over a goon who tried to punch him and double kicked him in the back, sending him flying into one of his friends. He uppercut one of the goons into the air, jumped up and then kicked him in the face, knocking him through the air. He shot a web line at the goon, landed on the ground and slammed him into two others. He fired impact webbing at the group, incasing them in webbing before he back flipped to avoid being grabbed. He landed on the bad guys shoulders, scissor his legs around his head, spun around and swung his legs downward doing a head scissors takedown. A goon grabbed one of the pistols off the ground and fired a shot at Spider-man who dove to the side and shot a blotch of webbing at his face. Spider-man fired a web line and web zipped towards the goon, landing a flying kick to the face and knocking him out. The last goon grabbed a piece of metal from the ground and charged only for Spider-man to web zip forward and land a flying knee to the bad guy's face, knocking him out. He gathered up all the bad guys, webbed them together and placed a call to the cops.

"Pro tip: if you're not good at breaking or entering, don't commit a B&E." Spider-man quipped before jumping off the roof and swinging away. He swung around a building and down an alleyway when the police scanner on his phone went off and routed the information to the Bluetooth earpiece in his mask so he could hear it.

 _"_ _Attention all units. We just got a call about a possible narcotics sale. All available units head to Adam's and Jones Streets. Attention, possible sightings of the Calebra cartel enforcers. All units proceed with caution."_ The Police operator spoke over the radio frequency.

"All right, one more Spider-man appearance should get Vulture's attention." He said to himself, speeding up and heading to Adam's and Jones. He shot a web line and skimmed low to the street before letting go and swinging up high and doing some back flips just because. He shot another web line and swung up into the air and did some forward rolls. He neared the ground when he shot another web line and swung over some civilians. "Evening everyone!"

He jumped up from his web swing and ran alongside a building before shooting a web line and banking around the corner. He shot web lines at the roof of a building and web zipped up before point launching forward and into the air. He flew through the air before shooting another web line and zipping to a water tower and perching on the top. He focused on the roof of a building and enhanced his vision to see some Calebra cartel members on the roof of a building doing a drug deal with another gang from the Glades. "Oh, I smell a drug deal. Time to ruin their nights."

The Calebra dealer opened up a small duffel bag that was filled with Cocaine. "100 kilos of the product, as promised." He dropped the bag to the ground along with others. "Now, where's the money?"

Their buyers opened up a duffel bag full of cash but before they could trade, it was yanked out of his hand by a web line and into the hands of Spider-man who landed on the roof in a crouch. "Young man, do you know that drug deals are illegal? Then again, you probably don't care about that." He quipped before throwing two web bombs at the groups. He super jumped high into the air with a corkscrew spin to avoid a hail of bullets from the cartel and the gangbangers. He was the distraction because they weren't focused on his web bombs which blew up and incased all of them in very sticky webbing. "You know, I'm not the biggest fan of magicians but I will say this, they got it right with the whole misdirection thing."

"You'll pay for this, Spider-man, you hear me?!" the cartel leader shouted so Spider-man webbed his mouth shut.

"Yeah, I hear you." He replied, before using two more web bombs to make sure they weren't going anywhere. One of the gangbangers had luckily avoided the web and hid behind a chimney pipe. He ran for it and made it to the fire escape only for Spider-man to web his hands to the stairs and web his mouth shut. "Oh, you didn't think I forgot about you, did you? Don't worry, I treat all the bad guys I stop with equal attention."

He webbed up the drugs and money together before making an anonymous call to the police. He saw them arrive soon after and decided to make his exit. "Nothing puts a pep in my step like stopping an illegal drug deal." He swung through the city and made his way to his regular skyscraper rest point and took a seat next to Bob the gargoyle. "Hey, Bob. You'll never believe what happened to me last night. I think I actually have a girlfriend. I know, right? Crazy."

He pressed a button on his phone to call his mom. She was most likely just getting off her shift at the hospital so it'd be a nice chance to talk. He relaxed on his little perch over the city as he heard the dial tone from his earpiece until it was picked up.

 _"_ _Hey, Will."_ His mom greeted. " _This is a nice surprise."_

"Hey, mom. Just thought I'd give you call when you got off shift. So, you heading home?" Will asked.

 _"_ _No, actually. For your information, my life is more than just work and home. I'm heading out to dinner."_ May told him. " _I'd ask you to come along but….uh, it's a dinner with a colleague so we'll be talking about work."_

"It's fine. I'm out doing my Spider-man thing and I've got a winged supervillain I plan to turn into drumsticks tonight so I'll be busy." Will replied.

 _"_ _Ok…I'd ask if you're joking but knowing you, you probably are."_ May commented.

"Partially joking, partially telling the truth. Anyway, I didn't just call to check-in and I'm glad you're ok, but I called to get some help." He told her.

 _"_ _Wow, help from me? Well, you stopped needing help with your homework when you turned ten so it's not academic help you need. Is there an issue with your scholarship?"_ She asked.

"No, it's not that. Um…its help regarding a date I'm trying to set up with my girlfriend." Will told her but all he got was silence. "Mom? Mom, you still there? Did our call get dropped?"

He checked his phone and saw he was still connected and she wasn't muted. " **THANK YOU GOD FOR ANSWERING MY PRAYERS! MY SON HAS FINALLY GOTTEN HIMSELF A GIRLFRIEND! I WON'T DIE WITHOUT GRANDCHILDREN!"** She shouted at the top of her lungs so loud that Will freaked out and nearly fell off the skyscraper but managed to hug the wall at the last second.

"Jesus Christ. I'm starting to rethink the earbud in the mask thing." Will took off his mask, stuck a finger in his ear and jiggled his eardrum to try and alleviate the pain. He slipped his mask back on and heard her babbling about how excited she was, who his girlfriend was, and when she could expect to meet her. "MOM! Calm down."

 _"_ _Sorry, Will but I'm just so excited for you. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to finally get a girlfriend. I had my hopes on that Hannah girl you were friends with Freshman year of high school before she transferred. Now, tell me who is the lucky girl? Aria, Spencer or Emily?"_ May asked.

"Aria, of course. Mom, Spencer has a boyfriend and Emily has a girlfriend, not to mention that Emily is gay." Will told her.

 _"_ _Ok, sorry but I'm so happy. Aria is so sweet and you two are adorable together. I can just imagine the babies."_ May said, daydreaming about her future grandchildren.

"Ok, stop! Mom, I love that you're happy for me but if it's it at all possible, I'd like you to bring it back down to 1 so I could get your advice." Will said, hearing her take a deep breath.

 _"_ _Ok, sorry, again. But can you at least tell me how this happened?"_ May asked, causing Will to sigh in exhaustion.

"Ok, it happened last night. I got a little scraped up last night and the girls helped clean me up. Aria and I got to talking about me being Spider-man." Will said, remembering their conversation. "I never realized how much me being Spider-man would affect the girls and you, mom and I'm sorry. Sorry if I make you extra worry."

 _"_ _It's all right. I know how important this is to you. You've been doing a lot of good out there. I can't tell you how many times we've had people show up at the ER saying they were attacked only for Spider-man to save them. I'm proud of you."_ May said, causing Will to smile. _"Ok, so continue."_

"We talked last night, and we got closer and closer and the next thing I know…we're kissing." Will said, remembering all of last night. "It was amazing. Kind of like those moments you see in movies…but real."

 _"_ _Oh, my little boy is so sweet."_ May chuckled over the phone. " _Ok, so what do you need my help with?"_

"Well, I'm taking Aria out on our first date Friday night before Parent's weekend and I could use some help planning. I want to do something she won't forget but I'm not sure what to do and how things will move forward after that, especially with how crazy my other life is. I promised myself that I would always keep Spider-man away from her so I need to make sure I'm not Spider-man at all when we have our date." Will told her. He waited for her to respond and heard her take a deep breath.

 _"_ _You know, when your dad asked me out on our first date he was terrified. I mean a full nervous mess that I saw his hand shake when he grabbed the dinner menu at the restaurant. He was so nervous that the dinner was a little awkward and kind of memorable but not in the good way."_ May told him.

"Really? Dad was like that?" Will asked, curious because he never thought his cool and collected FBI dad could be so nervous. He never saw him nervous once in his life. "What happened?"

 _"_ _Well, our first date wasn't anything to talk about. When he wasn't nervous, he tried to act all cool and smooth like he was a player. To be honest, I was waiting for the dinner to be over and it kind of made it so I didn't want a second one."_ May told him. " _I didn't see him for another week after that when he showed up at the hospital I was doing a residency at, dressed in regular clothes, with a small bouquet of flowers and some Chinese takeout. Kung-pao chicken and lo mein."_

"Your go to order." Will commented.

 _"_ _Yeah, he remembered me mentioning it during our date. He came to the hospital to apologize for being such a nervous wreck and explain why he was so nervous. He was nervous because he was trying to be something he wasn't to try and impress me but in doing so, he forget to be himself."_ May told him.

"I'm thinking there's a lesson in the story but could you just help me get to the point?" Will asked.

 _"_ _The point is just be yourself."_ May assured him. " _Will, you know Aria already so you know what she likes and what she doesn't. Just make it something she won't forget."_

"Ok, something she won't forget." Will repeated.

 _"_ _And do me one more thing as well."_ May said.

"What?" Will asked.

 _"_ _Don't try and hide who you really are…both sides of who you are."_ May told him. " _You won't be able to be happy with Aria unless you're a hundred percent yourself. That means not forgetting who you are when you put that mask on."_

"Mom, I promised myself that I would keep Aria, Emily, and Spencer far away from Spider-man as I could to keep them safe. No one can know I'm Spider-man." Will told her.

 _"_ _That's not what I mean, Will. You can protect Aria while still being both sides of who you are. I know that your powers are still kind of odd for you but they are a part of who you are now and like it or not, they will be a part of Aria's life now as well. If you and her ignore that part of you then your date might end up like the first one your father and I had."_ May told him. _"You can't pretend like Spider-man never happened. He's as much a part of you when you wear the mask as when you don't. Spider-man and Will Detmer aren't two different people, they're two sides of the same coin. If you try to ignore one part, the other is not enough. Will Detmer is as much a part of Spider-man's life as the mask and gadgets. Never forget that."_

 _"_ _All available units, we have reports of a…flying winged creature causing havoc in Middlepark. Officers down. All available units respond."_ The police operator reported over the frequency.

"I've got to go mom. Superhero business. Thanks for the advice." Will told her.

 _"_ _No problem. Be careful."_ May replied. He ended the call and front flipped off the building, nose diving straight to the ground. The wind rustled past his suit and sweatshirt as he sped towards the ground. To bystanders who looked up, they saw Spider-man diving straight down and looked like he was trying to kill himself. His speed kicked up and at the last second, shot a web and swung low to the street which sent him high into the air. He did a few flips and began swinging to Adam's square to end Vulture's threat and ground his wings. He swung around a building when his spider sense went off so he quickly shot a web and pulled himself into the air at the last second to avoid getting tackled by Vulture. He shot another web and pulled himself to the side of a building.

"Uh huh, beaky. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, ain't gonna happen." Spider-man taunted him.

 **"** **I don't need to take you by surprise to end you, Spider-man. It's time that the Spider gets eaten."** Vulture said, firing his minigun but Spider-man flipped along the side of the building to avoid the gunfire.

"Ugh, if Hammerhead is going to send you idiots after me, the least he could do is try and find bad guys with better material." Spider-man told him. He back flipped to avoid a grapple spear and shot some web bullets that Vulture avoided. "If you want, I could give you some pointers."

 **"** **If you want to help, just die!"** Vulture fired a missile at him so he quickly jumped into the air to avoid the blast. He shot a web and web zipped to the roof of a building, quickly taking out some acid bomb vials.

"Time to clip his wings." Spider-man said to himself. He ran along the roof of the building as Vulture hovered in the air and fired his minigun at him but missed. Spider-man fired some web bullets at him which he flew around to avoid. Vulture flew down straight at him and fired two missiles so he slid down onto his knees to avoid them and Vulture, sliding right under him. He shot a web at Vulture's leg and held on as the winged supervillain flew straight up and took Spider-man with him.

" **Get off me, bug!"** Vulture shouted, flying high into the air and kicking Spider-man away from him. He let go and fired multiple web lines and web nets at Vulture, ensnaring him in the sticky substance as he tried to get free. He quickly web zipped to Vulture and kicked him in the face before firing another web line at Vulture's back and pulling himself closer. Vulture articulated his wings and snipped the webbing which gave Spider-man enough time to latch onto his back and smash the acid vials on his wings. The chemical formula coated parts of the wings and turbines.

"Ok, time to clip your wings, beaky." Spider-man said, firing two venom blasts at the wings and electrifying the chemical solution. Once that happened, the reaction took place and began to chemically degrade the wings in seconds, causing them to dry up and crack like someone took a high-heat blow dryer to wet pasta noodles.

 **"** **What did you do?!"** Vulture shouted. He tried to move his wings but the articulation software wasn't responding.

"I put these things where they belong…the garbage." He flicked the wings with his fingers and the parts that had been affected crumbled like brittle sand.

 **"** **My wings! I can't steer!"** Vulture shouted, trying to move but couldn't.

"Yeah, but you're still airborne. How does that work exactly?" Spider-man asked, seeing as how both wings and turbines were gone so they shouldn't be in the air when he noticed the humming sound from the back turbine along with the glowing energy core. "Vultie, I think you've got a serious tumor in your hump."

He punched the back energy turbine and ripped out the energy core, causing the turbine to shut down. " **You idiot! You doomed us both!"** Vulture shouted as they began to fall to the ground.

"[ **Laughs]** You so have not been paying attention." Spider-man told him, grabbed Vulture with his legs and began swinging through the city. "Yee-haw!"

He swung them down to the street and webbed Vulture upside down to a light post. He called Yuri who was going to send some police officers on the way. Some bystanders began to gather and take pictures of Spider-man and the tied up Vulture. Spider-man grabbed Vulture's mask and took it off to reveal just a regular person. "Ugh, now I understand why you wore this thing." He said, tossing it in the air and webbing it to the post. "Now talk, Vulture. Where did the wings comes from?"

"Radio shack." Toomes replied with a smirk.

"Ok, seriously that's a bit of a dated answer. BestBuy would have been funnier answer but I appreciate the progress we're making here. Talk, beak breath. Who does Hammerhead work for? Who's the Big Man and where can I find him?" Spider-man asked, wanting to know who the big bad he was dealing with.

"You think I'll tell you. I'm smart enough to know not to snitch on the Big Man. You may think you're tough but Hammerhead is tougher and the Big Man is tougher than him. I'd rather be in jail then cross him." Toomes replied.

"You are of no help." Spider-man webbed his mouth shut when he heard some bystanders talking. He looked and saw they were taking photos and looking east to see a large pillow of purple smoke. "From one odd thing to another. See you later, Vulture!"

Spider-man web swung towards the purple smoke, thinking it might be a crazy warehouse fire but as he got closer, he didn't see the faint flicker of fire or anything. Like the smoke wasn't from a building fire. He got closer and saw the smoke was coming from the chemical distillery factories but considering it was after hours, it likely wasn't an employee that did this. He swung by and landed on the roof of a building across from the factories when he got a call to his earbud.

 _"_ _Spider-man, we've gotten reports of purple smoke by the chemical factories on Muller avenue."_ Yuri told him.

"Those reports are accurate. I'm going in to take a look and see what's going on." He said, shooting a web and swinging to the factory.

 _"_ _Patrol units are already on their way. Be careful."_ Yuri said before handing up.

He swung down to the factory where the source of the smoke was and saw it was some kind of fire pit. He fired some impact webbing at the pit that smothered the fire but noticed no one else was around so who put it there. He looked around and stretched out his super hearing and senses and picked up some voices in one of the factories. He opened up one of the air vents and began his crawl inside to figure out what was going on. He made his way through the network of air vents until he reached another vent grate that led inside the factory. He crawled out and shot a web at the ceiling, zipping there and crawling on the roof. He looked around and to his amazement saw Thea Queen tied up and strung upside by a rope with a woman in a red and black standing by. Will enhanced his vision and saw the woman was wearing armor and was carrying weapons including a sword and a bow with a quiver.

 _"_ _Huh, not at all what I was expecting to see when I arrived. Oh well, time to do my hero thing."_ He said to himself, moving into position to help.

"I'm going to get free of this and when I do I'm going to kill you!" Thea shouted at her kidnapper.

"I apologize for involving you in this. My quarrel is with your father." Nyssa told her.

"My father's been dead for years, you crazy psycho bitch." Thea told her.

"Not Robert Queen. Your true father—Al Sa-Her. _The Magician."_ Nyssa said.

"Incoming!" They heard and Spider-man swung by, grabbing Thea and ripping the rope off of her. He landed and put her on the ground before ripping off the ropes that bound her. "GO!"

Thea ran for the exit while he turned and saw a very angry lady in red. "You know, I'm sure the Queen family has its share of enemies, but I am kind of curious to know what kind of grudge involved a scary lady in red and black. Or is this a ransom kind of thing?" Spider-man asked. He quickly ducked to avoid an arrow to the head from Nyssa. "Seriously, what is it with bows that make people think the best answer to their problems is to shoot them with arrows? Haven't you ever heard of talking your problems out?"

"In a normal situation, I'd find your behavior amusing but you have no idea what you've done." Nyssa said, shooting three more arrows but Spider-man jumped into the air and avoided them with ease. He landed on the second floor railing in a crouch.

"You mean, rescue an innocent kidnapped victim from whatever you were planning to do?" Spider-man asked.

"Saving the daughter of a mad-man and denying me my vengeance." Nyssa said in anger, firing another arrow at him. He flipped through the air and landed on the ground as Nyssa unsheathed her scimitar and attacked him. He ducked and dodged with ease and while Nyssa had the superior hand-to-hand combat skill, Spider-man had the agility, speed, and spider-sense that more than evened the playing field. He ducked under the scimitar before doing a backhand spring into a corkscrew spin to gain some distance. He shot a web at her bow and yanked it out of her hand before she tried to impale him with her sword. He spun to the side and then spun to his knees to avoid a head slash, moving into a breakdancing flare and kicked her across the face. He spun into a windmill and kicked Nyssa onto her back before flipping onto his feet. Nyssa flipped back to her feet and growled in anger when another arrow shot near her head. She turned and saw the Arrow above her. "Clearly we both handle grief differently."

The Arrow jumped down and the two engaged in a hand-to-hand fight, moving through the close quarters of the factory floor. Nyssa slashed and swiped with her sword while the Arrow blocked with his bow. She lunged at the Arrow, forcing him back into some pipes but before she could stab him again, another arrow knocked her sword out of her hand. Nyssa and the Arrow looked up to see The Dark Archer standing above them. "There's a misunderstanding the three of us need to clear up."

"A conversation I'm eager to have…over your rotting corpse." She told him. The Dark Archer fired three arrows at her but she used a piece of cloth to knock them away and ducked under the last one. He jumped to the ground and the three archers got into another fight with Spider-man watching from the ceiling.

"A part of me would like to just kickback and watch the fight while another part of feels like I should intervene in…whatever this is. Maybe a disagreement on hoodie colors?" He joked before he swung forward and kicked Nyssa and the Dark Archer away from the Arrow.

 **"** **What are you doing?!"** The Arrow yelled.

"My job. Besides, it looked like you could use some help." He quipped, flipping forward to avoid an arrow from the Dark Archer. He fired a web and yanked the bow away only for him to pull out a sword and a knife. He ducked and dodged with ease when Nyssa joined in, both trying to kill Spider-man but he was too fast. Ducking, dodging, and flipping in the air with ease. Nyssa and Dark Archer swung at his head but he back flipped to avoid being hit and jumped up to hit them both with kicks to the face. Dark Archer rolled from the impact and back to his feet, lunging forward but Spider-man moved to the side and blocked the sword. He kneed the black clad archer in the gut then flipped over his back and did a jumping back kick, knocking him away. Nyssa charged at him so he jumped and hung upside down from the second floor railing above. Nyssa swung her sword but he kept moving his head to avoid her. He pulled himself into the air before firing two webs and slingshot himself at Nyssa, kicking her in the stomach and onto the ground. He kicked off her stomach and flipped forward over a pipe, shooting a web at her leg and pulled hard, hoisting her up into the air by her leg and shooting some impact webbing at her to keep her from moving. He quickly ducked to avoid a sword slash and then back flipped to avoid having his legs cut off before engaging in another fight with Dark Archer.

The Arrow pulled out a special arrow from his quiver and held it ready, watching the impressive agility and athleticism of Spider-man to not only take out Nyssa but to go toe-to-toe with Malcolm Merlyn and be as successful as he is. Spider-man blocked a push kick and responded with a tornado kick that the Dark Archer ducked under only to get hit with a spin kick to the face. He pulled him forward with a web hit then him with side kick to the chest and then landed another spin kick to the face, knocking him back. He kept up the pressure by firing two webs and web zipped forward, hitting the Dark Archer with one final flying knee to the chest and sent him flying into a wall that knocked his mask off. The Arrow fired a flashbang arrow that concussed the Dark Archer and Spider-man fired some webbing, wrapping him only to see that the Dark Archer was in fact Malcolm Merlyn who was very much alive and not dead.

 _"_ _Malcolm Merlyn? But how?"_ Spider-man wondered but before he could do anything, the Arrow walked forward with another arrow on his bow.

"Do it, Oliver." Nyssa told him, wanting him to end Merlyn right then and there. "He kill Sara. Tommy. He will corrupt your sister."

Merlyn spit out some blood from his mouth before looking right at the Arrow. "There is blood on my hands. Almost too much to contemplate. But none of it is Sara's." Merlyn told him.

"Kill him!" Nyssa shouted.

"I did not kill your beloved!" Merlyn told her. "Your father doubted Sara's loyalties the moment you brought her home. You know your father. What he is capable of. He will kill without hesitation. Do you really need me to tell you what he would do to the degenerate who would steal his daughter's heart?!"

Nyssa shouted in anger at him. Merlyn cut himself free of the webbing and stood up. "Nyssa doesn't believe me, Oliver. If you don't believe me…listen to her. Kill me." Malcolm told him. Oliver hesitated for a second but didn't lift his bow. Merlyn walked to the exit only for Oliver to aim an arrow right at his head.

"You may not have killed Sara…but you're still a murderer." Oliver said.

"What are you going to do? Arrest me?" Merlyn asked.

"I could have SCPD here in three minutes." Oliver told him.

"And in half that time I will escape from whatever prison they put me in. You know that, so does she—"Merlyn was cut off when another glob of webbing ensnared him up and trapped him.

"You know…" They heard as Spider-man was crouched above them on the second floor guard railing. "You should really keep these personal conversations for when you're sure you're alone. Anyone could have walked in and heard…whatever this is. Besides, I think it's time Mr. Merlyn has his facetime with the police who are right outside."

"You clearly have not been paying attention, Spider-man. No prison can hold me." Merlyn hid a playful smirk on his face as the entire time Spider-man talked; he cut his hands free with a knife hidden in his sleeve. He threw down a large flashbang grenade that concussed everyone. Will covered his ears and eyes in particular because his senses were so much sharper that it hurt more. Once the light and ringing died, he looked and saw Merlyn was gone.

"I really should have taken him outside instead of talking, huh?" Spider-man asked, getting a glare from the Arrow and Nyssa. "Well, I'll take this as a personal loss today. Now, if you'll excuse me…I'll cry myself to sleep."

He shot a web at the ceiling and swung away, going out a window and swinging to the roof of a building and perching himself on top. "Then again…" He took out his phone which had three photos of Malcolm Merlyn when he was taking to the Arrow. "Spiders have been known to be sneaky."

He took out his phone and dialed Yuri's number. " _Hey, saw that the smoke is gone. You take care of the problem?"_ She asked.

"I did…but we have another one. Meet on the roof of the precinct." He told her, swinging towards the police station but realizing the situation, he needed to do more than let Yuri know what happened. "And bring Captain Lance with you."

 _"_ _Why?"_ She asked.

"Trust me, Yuri. This is something he'll need to know. Besides, it's not like he can fire you for doing the same thing he does." Will told her.

 _"_ _And what's that?"_ She asked.

"Superhero assistance. It would be a little hypocritical if he did that but I don't think he would. Trust me, Yuri. This problem is something the Captain is going to need to know." He said.

 _"_ _All right."_ Yuri replied, ending the call.

Yuri put her phone down and took a deep breath before she got up from her desk and walked over to the captain's office. She heard him on the phone with someone so she knocked and opened the door. Lance motioned her to come in as he finished up the call. "Sorry about that, Yuri. Just got off the phone with the lawyer for the armored truck company. What do you need?" He asked.

"I got a contact who has a lead on the whole smoke situation tonight but he wants to talk to you." Yuri said, which drew an odd glance from Lance.

"And your contact has good intel?" Lance asked as Yuri nodded in response.

"He does." She replied. Lance nodded and followed her through the station but raised an eyebrow when she led him not outside but up to the roof. They walked out onto the roof to see that no one was there.

"Watanabe, what are we doing here?" Lance asked when he heard something thud behind and turned to see Spider-man perched on an air conditioning unit.

"Captain Lance." Spider-man greeted him and Lance froze for a second.

"When you said you wanted to meet again, I never figured it'd be this soon or like this." Lance said, looking back at Watanabe. "I guess this explains how you've been the lead on so many cases the past few months."

"Don't be angry at her, Captain Lance. I sought her out." Spider-man said. Yuri gave him a look but he subtly motioned her to not say anything. "I needed to find someone in the police department I could trust to help me with the bad guys I've been putting away and their escalation."

"By escalation, I'm guessing you mean why an old theater was demolished and why I've got my tech guys going over a high-tech flight suit?" Lance asked.

"Partially, yes but that's not what this meeting was about. I told you before that I was here to help the city and after what I saw tonight, this is something you should know." Spider-man took out his phone and pressed send. Yuri got the text and once she saw it, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"You sure about this?" Yuri asked.

"Positive." He told her.

"What is it?" Lance asked as Yuri walked over and showed him her phone and he saw the pictures of Malcolm Merlyn in his Dark Archer get up. "Merlyn's alive?"

"Oh yeah. The Dark Archer still lives. I had a run in with him at the chemical factory and saw him with my own eyes and kicked his butt with my own feet. It's him." Spider-man told him.

"But how? Merlyn's dead. The Arrow killed him and we have the coroner's report." Yuri said.

"Merlyn was a wealthy CEO with a lot of reach. He could have paid someone off at the coroner's office but why come back to Starling?" Lance asked and Spider-man shrugged.

"I don't know. When I got there, there was another lady and the Arrow which led into some kind of brawl but Merlyn was there and alive. The Arrow and I tried to capture him but he got free." Spider-man said when he noticed Yuri looking puzzled. "Yes, the bad guy managed to slip out of my fingers. Don't rub it in. After I saw he was alive, I figured you needed to know so we can plan our next move. I could take him in a fight but I highly doubt a regular prison cell is gonna hold this guy."

"All right. The photo looks real but I can't go the mayor's office with a photo from a vigilante. No offense." Lance said.

"None taken." Spider-man replied. "So, what's the plan?"

"For now, we keep this between us. I'll contact the Arrow and see what he wants to do. He took care of him before, maybe he can do it again. The last thing this city needs is a panic that Malcolm Merlyn is alive but we have no idea how to catch him." Lance said as Yuri and Spider-man agreed with that logic. "Anything else happened you can tell us?"

Will thought for a second if he should tell Lance about his suspicions about his daughter Sara. Merlyn's whole interaction with that woman and the Arrow seemed to suggest that they think Merlyn killed but apparently he didn't. Oh…and he was right that Oliver Queen is the Arrow. They really should be careful about the conversations they have in the open. "About what happened there and why? Honestly, I've got no clue. Only guesses but I think there's something you should know, Captain Lance…and it involves your daughter."

"Was Laurel there?" Lance asked and Spider-man shook his head no.

"No. You have another daughter, Sara, right?" He asked and Lance nodded yes. "Look, I honestly have no idea if what I'm about to tell you is the truth or if there is more to it but I figured you had the right to know."

"Know what?" Lance asked.

"A few weeks ago, I stopped that copycat archer at the Palmer Tech fundraiser. The guy with the weird mask and dark jacket?" Spider-man said and Lance nodded. "You should know that your daughter Laurel arrived with a gun pointed at his head and was ready to kill him…because she said that Sara was killed."

"What?" Lance asked.

"But it wasn't him. And honestly, I'm not even sure what happened but from what I saw, Laurel seemed like it was real that Sara was killed." Spider-man told him and Lance froze for a second. "Again, Captain Lance I know that this may be uncomfortable and I have no place telling you this and if it is even remotely true but I felt that you deserved to know so you could figure out for yourself."

"No, I'm sure she's fine." Lance said, wanting to believe that but needed to know for sure. "Uh…thanks for telling me. It might explain what's going on with Laurel. Um, look I got to go. You go do your Spider-man…thing."

Lance left in a hurry and Will instantly felt like he got gut-punched by Shocker. "Did I do the right thing, Yuri?"

"You did. He deserved to know the truth." Yuri told him.

"Then why do I feel like I got gut-punched by Shocker?" He asked.

"Don't feel bad, Spider-man. You did the right thing in telling him what you knew; he deserves to know if something happened to his daughter. Now he can find out on his own." Yuri said. "Don't worry about him. Captain Lance is tougher than he looks."

"I hope your right." He replied. "You get anything on Vulture?"

"We did. Real name is Adrian Toomes, former air force pilot and mercenary for hire. I'm guessing you can predict who he went to work for." Yuri said.

"Hammerhead and the Big Man." He replied. "Did he give you anything else?"

"No, he's not talking at all. Like Lance said, we've got our tech team going over the flight suit but like with Shocker, its state of the art tech." Yuri said. "But we might have a lead. I got a visitor today that you saved."

"Oh, the informant I saved. He give you some useful information?" Spider-man wondered.

"That he did. The locations of the rest of Hammerhead's construction fronts which is a good start. The more we take down, the more we impact the Big Man and the more we learn. He did also say that Hammerhead's been using a tech company out of Central City for weapons." Yuri told him.

"He told me the same thing and I think I have an idea as to what company it could be. Smythe Technologies is one of the most advance technology companies in the country so if anyone can make the weapons Shocker and Vulture used, it might be them." Spider-man said.

"That's kind of a leap, if you ask me." Yuri said.

"Would it help if I said that the night before Montana, Ox, and Fancy attacked me in the helicopter, I found a Smythe reconnaissance drone following me?" Spider-man suggested.

"That's less of a leap. I'll do some digging but if the Big Man really does have control of that company than he's likely done everything he can to cover his tracks. I'll see what I can find." Yuri told him.

"All right, I'll see you later. And tell Captain Lance I'm sorry if I was out of line." He bid her goodbye and went back out to the city.

While Will informed Captain Lance of the truth, Oliver, Dig, and Nyssa returned to the bunker from the factory where Roy and Laurel were waiting for them. "Is Thea ok?" Roy asked.

"I spoke to her. She's fine. Doesn't know who took her or why." Oliver said only for Nyssa to sucker punch him in the face. Dig reached for his gun and was ready to shoot her if she did something else. Oliver stood up and glared at her. "I may have deserved that."

"You deserve worse." Nyssa told him.

"Um, what's going on?" Roy was confused at what just happened.

"Merlyn didn't kill Sara. Which means whoever did is still out there." Oliver told them.

"You're a fool, who insults the memory of a woman he once loved." Nyssa said.

"I will honor Sara's memory by finding and punishing the person who did this. The real person." Oliver said, while she just scoffed and walked away. "Nyssa. So long as Malcolm Merlyn is in my city, the league will make no move on him. He's under my protection."

"You would incur the wrath of the League of Assassins?" Nyssa asked.

"I would do…what I have to in order to buy the time necessary to find out what really happened with Sara." Oliver told her.

"You have made an enemy tonight. One with a long memory." Nyssa gave him a final warning before leaving.

"Oliver." Laurel walked over to him. "Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't sure, I never would have let him go. I promise." Oliver assured her only for Felicity to arrive.

"What did I miss?" She asked.

 **End of Chapter 3**

 **1). Adrian Toomes from Spider-man: Homecoming played by Michael Keaton but younger.**

 **2). Spider-man: Homecoming Vulture suit but with additional retractable weapons attached to the arms and harness.**

 **I hoped you guys liked the chapter. Again, it was kind of a filler chapter but a lot did happen here with Will and Aria finally getting together and him learning about Malcolm Merlyn being alive. Not to mention he dealt with another supervillain and told Captain Lance the truth. A lot of things happened here that will set up for later plotlines.**

 **Will's made some new web gadgets to his arsenal that are going to help him moving forward. The web grenades and acid bombs in particular will prove their usefulness in future battles. Also, yeah Will and Aria are together. That'll be fun to write as the two figure out the dating thing while Will is a superhero which should be fun. With Will telling Lance the truth earlier, Lance's reaction will be a little different than from the show but similar. Lance's relationship with the Arrow and Laurel will change going forward because of the lie that was told and he won't trust him but he will begin to trust Spider-man which makes Oliver hate him even more. Will's general existence will change some stuff going forward so watch out for small hints to that.**

 **Next chapter, the fallout from Laurel and Oliver's decision to hide the truth about Sara's death comes out as Lance pretty much cuts them both off. Spider-man works hard to try and keep his trust as the two keep the city safe. Will has to deal with that along with his first real date with Aria, parents weekend, and then a mysterious hacking group that makes Starling City their little pet project. Plus, Halloween is around the corner and that night brings its own problems. Enjoy!**

 **William Alexander Detmer-Age 20: Birthday, October 8** **th** **, 1994**

 **Moniker: The Spectacular Spider-man**

 **Appearance:** Tyler Posey

 **Uniform:** Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit.

 **Weapons:** Mark 1 Web Shooters, Web Grenades/Bombs, Spider tracer (work in progress), acid embrittlement bombs,

 **Skills:** Genius intellect with 250 IQ, Super human strength, Super human speed, Super human reflexes, Super human agility and balance, Super senses, accelerated healing factor, wall-crawling/adhesive stick, Spider-Sense, Night Vision, and enhanced range vision, Bio-Electrokinesis/Venom strike-blast

 **May Detmer:** Marisa Tomei (in case anyone was wondering)

 **Aria Montgomery:** Lucy Hale

 **Emily Fields:** Shay Mitchell

 **Spencer Hastings:** Troian Bellisario

 **Dr. Curt Connors:** Dylan Baker (From Sam Raimi's Spider-man series)

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man, Arrow or any above mentioned products. All rights belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the fourth chapter of Spectacular Spider-man. Spider-man's revelation of Sara's death to Captain Lance sends him on a collision course against Laurel and the Arrow for the truth and he won't be happy when he does. Their relationship will never be the same and Lance might just been done with Vigilantes unless Spider-man can convince him otherwise. On top of that drama Will prepares for his first real date with Aria, Parents weekend, and a mysterious hacker group that shows up. Fun times. Enjoy!**

 **Also to Ulthane, who let me know that his cousin Aisha is turning 19 today on 10/25/19, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Sorry it wasn't The Blue Wolf that was updated today but hopefully a next chapter of that story should be up next month. Still, Happy Birthday and thanks for being a supporter.**

 **The Spectacular Spider-man: A step in the right direction**

 **October 2014-Starling City**

It was Friday evening in Starling City and the start of the weekend was usually busy with activity as people were heading home from work or families were going out for dinner. Unfortunately, not all people were heading home to relax as one construction yard was very busy with activity but not of the construction kind. Will was out in his Spider-man gear and perched up on a tower crane of the construction site. He looked around and saw a lot of men not in construction orange and didn't seem to do any kind of construction, so he tapped his earpiece and contacted Yuri.

"Yuri, I'm here at the construction site and their equipment is covered in dust." He told her.

" _Just there for show?"_ Yuri asked.

"That's my bet. I'm gonna take a closer look." He replied, hanging up and began planning out his attack. He web zipped down to an I-beam and overheard talking by one of the goons.

"Heard Hammerhead's been working his ass off to try and get the other sites up and running quickly." One of them said.

"Yeah, well the Big Man likes his money and Spider-man has been screwing with him." Another replied.

"I'd love to see the bug show up so I can show what I'd do to him." Another added.

He saw one of the goons on lookout by himself, so he shot a web at his leg and yanked him up into the air. Some more webbing left him tied up and completely harmless. He web zipped over to some of the rafters and saw one of Hammerhead's men walk right under him so he web yanked him up into the air and encased him in webbing before hanging him upside down. Another gangster came by, so he did the same thing to him. He web zipped to the west side of the yard and web pulled the lookout up into the air and then yanked him down hard, slamming his head onto the metal rafter before webbing him up too. He looked around and saw two guys talking to one another and knew he'd have to separate them to take them out quietly so he shot a web bullet at a chair, making a loud noise and attracting their attention.

"Anyone there?! Because you'll wish you weren't." One of the thugs walked over to check out what was going on which left the other one by himself, prime for a stealth takedown. He shot some webs and yanked him up into the air before webbing him to the rafter. He then webbed up the other guy quickly and quietly.

"Echo six, report in." One of the guys called into the radio but got no answer. "Echo six report in. Someone check on Echo six, he's not responding."

"Time to make my entrance." He said to himself, web zipping to one of the goons and knocked him out with a flying kick to the face. He quickly kicked another goon in the face and chest before back flipping off him, shooting a web line at his face and pulling so he slammed his face into the ground.

"Get the bug! We still got this! I'll get him for ya!" The bad guys shouted, thinking they had this, but they didn't.

Spider-man quickly 360 dive-rolled to the side to avoid some bullets and shot a web blast at the gunner's face. He web zipped to the gunner and knocked him out with a flying punch to the head. A barrel was webbed and thrown through the air, hitting one of the nameless goons in the face. The bad guys shot their guns but either missed or had them yanked out of their hands by webbing. One goon saw a blur of red and blue but was too slow to react and got a front flip kick before lights out with a right cross. His friend tried to shoot Spider-man but missed and his pistol ran empty. He quickly tried to reload which was a bad idea because it got him a foot to the groin and a kick to the back that sent him face first into a chair. One guy was web pulled forward but then was yanked backward and off his feet before he was slammed onto the ground. A guy with a crowbar charged forward only to get a shot of web and a tornado kick to the face.

"Come on! Hammerhead will have our ass if we don't take him down!" One of the leaders shouted only to get a mouth full of web and a flying knee to the face from Spider-man. It resulted in an unwanted nap. He quickly 360 dive-rolled to avoid more bullets and distracted him with webs to the face before taking him out quickly with a web-zip takedown. He grabbed a concrete bag and threw it at some goons, causing the powder to explode and obscure their vision. He front flipped forward and landed in a superhero landing, zapping the ground in front of him with his venom blast and striking 5 guys, rendering them unconscious.

He looked up and saw more guys show up. "Oh, more guys?! Sorry but we're all out of the complimentary donuts!" he quipped while backflip kicking a guy in the face. He shot some webs at a crate and threw it at some more bad guys when one of them got smart and tossed a flashbang grenade at him. He quickly jumped into the air, shot a web at the flashbang and tossed it at a group of bad guys so concussed them. He tossed a web grenade at them and back flipped in the air to avoid being tackled from behind. He landed on the bad guys shoulders and back flipped, throwing him through the air and slamming him into a trashcan.

"You don't mess with the Big Man and live!" One of the goons shouted as he swung a crowbar at Spider-man only for the web head to web his hands and jumped over him. He pulled the webs over one another, so the bad guy's hands were entangled. He then yanked so hard he knocked himself out with a punch to the face. Two vans swerved into the construction yard and more bad guys showed up.

"Whoa guys, slow down. The Black Friday sale isn't until the day after Thanksgiving." He quipped, spinning to the side to avoid another flashbang and web threw it at the bad guy who threw it. He kicked another bad guy in the face, punched another in the stomach before vaulting over and tripping him up with a leg sweep when his phone went off.

 _"_ _Spider-man, that construction site's taken delivery of enough concrete to build two skyscrapers."_ Yuri told him as he slid between a dude's legs and kicked him in the groin.

"Wait, don't tell me. They're hiding drugs in the concrete mix." He replied, jumping over a guy with a riot shield and kicked him in the back, sending him flying into a group like a bowling ball before shooting more webbing at them to keep them from moving.

 _"_ _That's my theory. We'll need probable cause to get on site to confirm it."_ Yuri said as he disarmed another goon and did a flying head scissor takedown and slammed him onto the ground hard.

"And you'll have it." He replied before web zipping to another goon and knocking him into the air with a backflip kick before kicking him away with a 540 spin kick.

"We can't let him win!" One of the goons shouted only to get a plastic barrel to the face. Spider-man looked and saw another wave of reinforcements arrive.

"And more of them. No shoving, I'll give you all personal attention." He said, flipping in the air to avoid more bullets and web zipping to the gunners. The gunners did their best to try and shoot him but he was too quick. All the bullets they fired either missed and hit the ground or flew into the air because Spider-man dodged, ducked, dipped, dived and dodged some more. A knee to the stomach, elbow to the chest, right cross to the face, gainer kick to the chin, head scissor throw into a group followed up by a spin kick to the stomach, jumping back kick to the chest, a TD raiz kick to the face, a butterfly kick to the face, and finished with corkscrew spin kick to three unlucky faces. That's how you take down eight armed and deadly idiots.

He backflip kicked a goon in the face and shot some webs at him before slamming him down onto the ground. A large shelf was web pulled down and it collapsed on a group of bad guys before some impact webbing stuck two dudes together. A large wooden pallet was thrown into two idiots before another got hit by a side flip kick to the face. He fired a venom blast at four more guys before doing a quick backflip to avoid more gunfire and web zipped to the gunner, knocking him out with a kick to the face. He tossed two more web grenades to tie up the bad guys before finishing off the last one with a butterfly kick to the face.

He gathered up all the bad guys and hoisted them up like a bad guy piñata. "Yuri, I've got Hammerhead's guys and all the probable cause you need webbed up and waiting." He told her.

 _"_ _Good job. This is third construction site we've taken down. Only three more to go."_ Yuri said.

"Roger that." Spider-man replied, before thinking about Captain Lance. "How's Captain Lance doing?"

 _"_ _So far so good. I don't think he's confronted Laurel about what you told him. He seems to be doing fine at the moment."_ Yuri replied, seeing him in his office and he looked ok, just deep in thought. _"I'll let you know."_

"Right, keep me updated Yuri. If I'm right and the Arrow kept this from him, something tells me Captain Lance's view on Superhero/Vigilantes is going to go south really fast." He said.

 _"_ _I will. Get some rest."_ Yuri replied.

"I sure hope he's ok." He said, before heading out into the city to pick something up.

Yuri finished up a report at her desk before she walked over to Captain Lance's office. "Captain, I got a lead on a possible drug smuggling operation at a construction yard. I'm heading over there with some uniforms to check it out. If I'm right, then it might be something big." Yuri told him.

"Like those other construction yards you busted?" Lance asked, holding up a stack of case files she submitted. "Close the door."

Yuri did as she was told and walked over to his desk. "I've been looking over the reports and the other construction yards you and Spider-man have taken down result in a lot of contraband and money recovered. Like they're pieces of a larger puzzle." Lance said. "Care to fill me in?"

"I've been working on the rackets of a new crime boss in the city a few months ago. I managed to get a source to identify one of his primary sources of income with the construction sites. On paper they're all legit with investors but once we dug deep enough, we found that the Big Man's been using them to move guns, drugs, and money." Yuri explained.

"The Big Man?" Lance looked at her funny because of the stupid name.

"That's what his associates call him. We've never gotten a name or anything and the only thing I do know for sure is that he's the one who has been sending the weird criminals after Spider-man. We've been doing a lot of damage to his enterprise, so the Big Man wants him out of the picture. And he's got a legion of street enforcers because Hammerhead has gone to work for him." Yuri said and Lance realized that this was more serious that he previously thought.

"Damn, that's not good." Lance knew full well of Hammerhead's reputation and if he was going after Spider-man then it was something serious. "You trust Spider-man with all this, Watanabe?

"I do." Yuri replied, defending her position and her relationship with him. "I know that he's breaking the law, but he's been protecting people in the city without dropping bodies. It's better than the Arrow when he started."

Lance looked at her and had to concede that point. While the Arrow hasn't dropped any bodies recently, when he first emerged as the Hood three years ago he was a killer. Spider-man is different but he's still breaking the law. "He talks a lot, he jokes too much, and acts like a 12-year old on a sugar rush but he's risked his life to help the people of this city. He's gone up against the Cartels, Los Halcolnes, Triads, and Russians along with every single gangbanger who's tried to hurt someone and Hammerhead and the Big Man's goons. He's never asked for anything and I don't think he's profiting from any of the Spider-man merchandise made in the city or else we'd already have his name. I know it might sound naïve, but he hasn't given me a reason not to trust him." Yuri said.

"Yet." Lance replied, and Yuri noticed he seemed troubled with something.

"Everything ok, Captain Lance?" Yuri asked.

"Yeah." Lance replied.

"You haven't talked to your daughter, yet have you?" Yuri asked.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Watanabe. And forgive my frankness but I'm gonna take the world of a masked superhero with a little trepidation." Lance told her and she nodded. "Get to work on tracking down who Hammerhead is working for. I want a name."

"Of course, sir. I'll get to work on it." Yuri said, walking to the door when she stopped herself and looked back. "I'm sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds, sir but Spider-man only told you what he thought you should know. I think it says a lot about who he is under that mask. I know he's annoying and can be a pain, but he get serious when he needs to be. He's usually never wrong, but I hope he is this time."

Yuri said her peace and left his office. "So do I." Lance said to himself, looking at the picture of Sara and Laurel on his desk. He took out his phone and called the number Sara gave him. He had called dozens of times before but not even a text back that she was ok. He anxiously waited for the dial tone to be interrupted and Sara to answer to his relief, but it never came.

 _"_ _This is Sara, leave a message._ _ **[Beep]**_ _The mailbox is full."_ Lance sighed in desperation and put his phone down. He hoped to high heaven that Spider-man was wrong, and that Sara was just busy.

Back over at Starling University, Aria was in her room with Spencer and Emily getting ready for her first official date with Will. She was getting dressed for her date with Emily and Spencer helping her with her outfit.

"Ok, I think that should do it." Spencer told her, helping Aria with her hair.

"Thanks, Spencer." She replied, standing up and looking at herself in the mirror. She flattened her black and red floral dress and put on her brown leather belt. She put on her iconic feather earing on her right ear before grabbing a light blue jacket.

"So, has Will said anything about the date? Where are you guys going?" Emily asked, genuinely interested in knowing what Will would do for a date.

"He hasn't said anything other than to dress comfortably which isn't helpful, so I had to make it comfortable while stylish." Aria told them, taking another look in the mirror and it was perfect.

"Well, Will is known to be full of surprises so I think we can say with certainty that tonight should be memorable." Emily said when they heard a knock at the door. She opened it and saw Will dressed up in a nice pair of jeans, a blue button up and a blazer with a bouquet of tulips in his hands.

"Good evening. I'm looking for a beautiful, spunky, and talented young woman who lives here. I don't suppose you've seen her?" Will asked, acting like he had never been there before to Emily's amusement.

"I don't know. That could describe all three women who live here." Emily replied. "Could you be a little more specific?"

"Of course. She happens to be a beautiful brunette who is insanely talented and has a future as an amazing designer or as an incredible writer. Honestly, she has a sure shot at either of those two aspects that the one she doesn't choose will be filled with jealousy." Will said as Aria stepped out.

"Very nicely said." She replied, walking up and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "And I love the flowers."

"I'm glad. I swung by and picked them up." He joked, handing her the tulips. "But I also wanted Emily and Spencer to have a little color in their life."

He reached behind his back and took out two single tulips for the girls and handed it to them. "Oh, that's sweet." Spencer said, smelling the tulip.

"Yup, did I hit the jackpot or what?" Aria asked.

"You did." Will replied, giving her one quick kiss. "Ok, don't worry you two. I'll have her back before midnight. Shall we?"

"We shall." Aria replied, grabbing his arm and the two of them left the dorm.

"Is it a little sad that she's the only one of us who has a date or plans on a Friday night?" Emily asked.

"A little bit." Spencer replied.

Will and Aria walked out of the dorm and made their way through campus. They passed people who were heading to parties or other places and slowly but surely made their way to the art's building.

"Will, where are you taking me?" She asked.

"Well, I wanted our first date to be something special and I've kind of been killing myself the past day to try and figure that out. A part of me figured that the typical night out with the whole dinner between the two of us just isn't what we should do." Will told her. "I began to really tussle with the entire idea until I got some advice to just do something that Will Detmer would do and I think I figured that out."

"And what's that?" Aria asked as they stopped walking at the blind spot in the building where there was now camera coverage. Will looked around to see there wasn't anyone around before he pulled her close and put his arm around her.

"Hold on tight." He raised his hand to show he was wearing his web shooter. He then shot a web line and pulled them into the air. Aria held on tight as Will yanked them up high and they landed by the roof lounge and to her amazement saw it was decorated for their date. Beautiful lights were strung around the area to give it an elegant and romantic atmosphere, the roof lounge furniture was beautiful elevated and refurbished, a small fire pit was set up in the middle next to a table of food and small movie projector was set up next to a blank screen. "What do you think?"

"How did you set this up?" Aria asked, walking around, and looking at the amazing lounge.

"I managed to convince the janitor to help me set this up and I got some of the design students to refurbish everything for a small fee. Some of my friends in the AV club had an old movie projector and I tracked down a copy of your favorite movie at the library." Will said.

"Casablanca?" Aria asked and Will nodded.

"You need a certain type of ambiance for a movie like that and I figured this would do it." Will said, walking her over to the table where dinner was waiting for them. "And for dinner, we have homemade seafood pasta and cheesecake for dessert."

"Wow, you went all out for our first date." Aria said.

"I wanted to make it memorable." He told her, holding her close. "After all the advice I was given and while I was setting this up, I sort of had an epiphany as to why I've been freaking out so much lately."

"Really?" She asked.

"I've been freaking out so much lately because I've been trying so hard to be a person I no longer am." Will said which drew a confused look from her. "I told you that I've been doing my best to keep my Spider-man life separate from my other life in order to keep you and the others safe and I'm going to keep my promise but I think it had an unintended consequence with my psyche. When we started this, I thought I'd have to try and act like the old nerd I used to be but then I realized that I'm not that person anymore. Even if I tried, I don't want to be. My powers and everything that happened after the Particle Accelerator changed me and it's not that I don't want to use my powers or am ashamed of whom I turned into, but they are a part of me now. It's going to be a part of my life now and I can't ignore that."

"You're right. A lot's changed since we first met and we can't ignore that." Aria said as Will moved his hand up and pushed some hair out of her face.

"So, if you're still ok with dealing with all that…then I'll give everything I have into this relationship." Will assured her. "No matter what Spider-man or Will Detmer may be dealing with, you will always be a priority."

"And I promise to help you however I can. This is going to be new territory for both of us. I've never dated a superhero before." She joked.

"Well, I never dated anyone before so hopefully I won't let you down." Will said, giving her a quick kiss. "Now, shall we?"

"We shall." She replied and the two enjoyed their date.

Back in the city, Lance was waiting in the alley of the police station for the Arrow to show up. It was time to talk about Merlyn showing back up in the city. He waited a few more seconds when he heard some footsteps come down the alleyway and the Arrow appeared.

 **"** **What is it, Detective?"** Arrow asked.

"Is there something about that weird purple smoke at the chemical factory you want to tell me, because I happen to meet a friendly wall crawler who showed me this?" Lance took out his phone and brought up the image of Malcolm Merlyn that Spider-man gave him. Lance couldn't see but the Arrow was shocked that he had that photo. "I find it funny that your first copycat shows up and you don't come to tell me."

 **"** **Where did you get that?"** The Arrow asked.

"Spider-man showed up and gave it to me after his little run-in with Merlyn. He wanted to keep me in the loop about the most dangerous man in this city being alive and wanted to figure out what the plan was to deal with him. What I'm trying to figure out is why you never told me and I had to find out from him?" Lance questioned.

 **"** **I was trying to protect you, Detective. Make no mistake that Merlyn is still dangerous, and he will kill you if he figured out you knew."** Arrow told him. **"Don't worry about Merlyn, I'm handling it."**

"Right." Lance said, knowing that he was being lied to. He had worked with the Arrow long enough to tell a lie. "And I suppose Sara's lady friend in red showing up was also a coincidence?"

 **"** **Whatever Nyssa was doing here in Starling had nothing to do with Merlyn."** He assured her.

"Really?" Lance asked, knowing that answer was bullshit. "You know, I've been a cop a long time and even when I've been dealing with you, I can pick up on lies and bullshit excuses. You really expect me to think to that crazy woman was back in town and it had nothing to do with Merlyn…or my daughter?"

 **"** **I don't understand."** The Arrow replied.

"There's another funny thing that happened with my chat with Spider-man. He told me that Laurel showed up when he dealt with Komodo and was ready to kill him because Sara's dead." Lance said as the Arrow went wide-eyed from hearing that. "Please tell me that he misread the situation and that you and Laurel haven't been lying to me for weeks."

The Arrow took a deep breath, realizing that he couldn't keep Lance from finding out the truth now. " **Detective…I'm sorry."**

Lance was heartbroken after hearing that response and he knew it was true, his baby girl was dead. "No. No. No. Not again." Lance broke down crying in the alley. "Not my baby girl, not again."

The Arrow immediately contacted Laurel and she came by the alley to pick up her father and the two could finally mourn together. Lance never spoke another word to either of them that night. Suffice it to say, that the cat was out of the bag and time would tell the disastrous consequences their actions wrought.

Line Break xxxxx

It was Saturday now and Will and his friends were going to be busy with their parents this weekend. Parent's weekend was self-explanatory and was when parents could visit their child for the weekend with events, showcases, talks, and other activities for them to do together. A lot of the activities were set up for the freshmen students, but it was a nice weekend for the parents to visit. Will took a shower and got dressed before grabbing his old vintage camera and heading out to the quad by the water fountain. He was going to meet with Aria, Emily, and Spencer there and their parents would meet them there.

He walked over to the fountain and found he was the first person there, so he'd wait for the others. He checked over his camera and made sure it was ok, being a casual observer and watching students meet up with their parents and show them around campus. Will heard something running towards him before it jumped onto his back. Whoever jumped onto his back was small and judging from the flowing hair he felt, he knew who it was. He grabbed the small person and spun her around to his front before giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Morning, beautiful." Will greeted Aria and she smiled back. He looked and saw she was wearing high heeled boots, maroon pants, floral long sleeve with a black top over it.

"Morning." She greeted back, giving him another kiss. "So, did you miss me?"

"Like the clouds miss the sky. Last night was the best date I've ever been on." He told her.

"Same. As far as first dates go…that was the most memorable." Aria said, giving him one more kiss.

"She's telling the truth. She told us all the details non-stop last night." Spencer said, walking over dressed in her heels, green maxi skirt, white and black blouse, with her grey cardigan over and carrying her purse. Emily was with her wearing flats, her black pants and grey top with the blue triangles on it.

"See, I told you that you had nothing to worry about." Emily said.

"Yeah, you're right Em. You always are." Will replied. "Now, since all my favorite ladies are here, I think I would like to get a picture."

Will moved away a bit while the girls grouped together by the fountain and got close for the photo. Will focused his camera and found that it was just like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it. He snapped a few pictures of the girls in front of the fountain when he saw his mom walk over.

"Aw, isn't that sweet." May said as Will walked over and hugged his mom. "Now, where is Aria?"

"Hey, Mrs. Detmer." Aria greeted her but May immediately pulled her into a hug. Aria looked at Will funny, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, Aria please call me May." She said, looking at Aria and smiling. "I owe you so much for what you've done with Will. When he told me about you two, I nearly destroyed his eardrum in joy."

"She's not kidding. Even with my super healing, it still hurts." Will said, ringing his ear a bit when Emily elbowed him in the side.

"I am so glad you two are together. Now while I would have also been pleased if it was Spencer or Emily, I'm overjoyed that you two got together." May said, causing Emily and Spencer to blush a bit and Will to shake his head in embarrassment.

"Mom, seriously, again Spencer and Emily both are in relationships." He told her for the hundredth time.

"I know but a mother has her hopes. Still, I'm overjoyed that you and Aria finally acted on those feelings that even I could see." May said as Aria hugged Will.

"Well, it's been the best decision we've made yet." Aria said.

"I couldn't agree more. Fighting supervillains has nothing on this." Will added, giving Aria a kiss on the forehead that made his mom squeal in delight.

"Oh, you two are so cute together. You two will give me such beautiful grandchildren." May said and immediately Will and Aria blushed in embarrassment.

"Mom! Seriously, we just had our first date!" Will shut her up.

"Ok, ok, I'm done for now." May said, holding her hands up in defeat.

"Emily!" They heard and turned to see Emily's mom and to their surprise her dad as well.

"Mom! Dad?!" Emily rushed over and hugged them with all her might. "Dad, what are you doing here? I thought you had to be on base this week?"

"I managed to convince my boss to give me the weekend off so I could come visit. I told your mom, but I wanted to surprise you." Wayne told his daughter.

"Well, consider me surprised. I'm glad you two are here." She said. Things with her family had gotten immensely better since a month ago and it showed. "Come on."

"May, it's so good to see you." Pam said, giving her a hug. "Thank you for everything you've been doing for our daughter."

"Of course, it's my pleasure. I love Emily. She's like the daughter I wished Will turned out to be." May replied and Will had a hurt expression on his face.

"Ouch, that hurt a little." Will said, causing the others to laugh.

"Aria!" They heard and saw Aria's parents and younger brother arrive. Aria rushed over to hug her parents Ella and Byron Montgomery and her younger brother Mike. "Oh, we missed you sweetie."

"I missed you too, mom." Aria walked them over to the others. "Mom, dad, you remember Spencer and Emily?"

"Of course, how are you girls?" Byron asked as he and Ella hugged them.

"We're fine." Emily replied. Aria then walked over to Will and stood next to him. Byron and Ella saw Will but also saw how close Aria was with him.

"Mom, you remember Will, I hope?" She asked.

"Of course, how are you?" Ella asked as she hugged him and he hugged back.

"I'm doing great. It's great to see you both." Will said, shaking Byron's hand. "I'm glad you two could come."

"Well, any chance to see our daughter is a welcome opportunity and to get Mike thinking about colleges is a bonus." Byron replied, noticing Aria's hand in Will's.

"Mom, dad…there's something you should know about me and Will." She told them.

"And what's that?" Ella asked, knowing what it was and couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Will and I are actually dating now." Aria told them as both she and Will waited to hear what they had to say. Ella smiled and hugged Will one more time.

"I'm happy for you two. To be honest, with all the times you've spoken about Will it was only a matter of time." Ella said.

"You talk about me a lot?" Will was intrigued.

"Not as much as she is implying." Aria assured him.

"Actually more. When she did come home during the summer for a little bit, we were lucky if we went one day without her mentioning you." Mike said and Aria gave him a death glare.

Byron walked over to Will and sized him up a bit, causing him to gulp. "You be sure to treat my baby girl right, Will."

"Of course, sir. I would never hurt Aria."

"Good." Byron smiled and pats him on the shoulder.

"Spencer!" They heard and saw Spencer's parents and to their surprise her sister Melissa and her fiancé Ian.

"Mom…dad, hey." Spencer walked over and hugged them. "What are you doing here?"

"It's parents' weekend. We weren't going to miss that." Peter told his daughter.

"I just didn't think you had time, what with the new job and all." Spencer said.

"We could spare a day to come spend time with you." Veronica said, hugging her daughter.

"And you brought Melissa and Ian…why?" Spencer was curious.

"Well, they wanted to come see you as well. You haven't been to our new home at all since we've moved here." Peter said to her.

"Yeah, you know, just really busy with school and work." Spencer said.

"And we wanted to get an advanced tour of Ian's new workplace which was a plus as well." Melissa added.

"Workplace?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, there was an opening here at Starling University for sports science and medicine so I interviewed here. The dean liked me a lot and offered me the job." Ian said and Will, Emily, and Aria could see that Spencer was screaming on the inside but kept up the façade for her sister and her parents.

"That's…that's great." Spencer managed to say.

"Yeah. Ian gets a great job and we can stay close with mom and dad." Melissa said with a smile, hugging her fiancé while Spencer was literally seconds away from tearing her hair out so Will quickly acted.

"That's amazing. I'm sure Ian will fit in perfectly here. Mom, why don't you start leading everyone over to the welcome reception at the dining hall?" Will suggested, giving his mom the subtle expression of help so she nodded.

"Of course. We wouldn't want to miss that. This way, please." May lead the parents, Melissa, and Ian away while Will, Emily, and Aria moved over to Spencer to try and calm her down.

"Dear lord, I'm ten seconds away from tearing my own hair out and beating her with it." Spencer said when Will got in front of her so she could focus on him.

"Easy, Spencer. Take a deep breath and calm down." Will said in a soothing and calm voice. Aria and Emily got to her side and began calming her down slowly but surely. A few calming words, hand holding, and hair brushing and Spencer calmed down to the point where she would be ok, not great but ok. "It's ok, Spencer. Deep breaths…in and out. Here, squeeze my hand."

Will held her hand so she could squeeze something in anger which turned out to be a big mistake because even with his powers, it felt like his hand was in a hydraulic press with Spencer hell bent on breaking it. "Ok, ok **[wheezes]** bad idea. Emily, Aria, help!" Will told them and they quickly got her to let go so he could tend to his aching hand.

"It's ok, Spencer." Aria tried her best to calm her down and it was slowly working.

"I swear to god I'm going to ring Melissa's neck with her faux diamond necklace. Will, get your web shooters and string her up from the flagpole. Do it know!" Spencer told him.

"That's a little bit of an extreme measure, Spencer." Emily said.

"And kind of goes against with great powers, comes great responsibility thing that I've been working on." Will said but shut up when he saw the death glare Spencer gave him. "And you don't want to have a freak out today. It would just give Melissa what she wants, and you don't want that."

"You're right." Spencer admitted, calming down a tiny bit more.

"Yeah, you don't want to give Melissa the satisfaction that she got under your skin. You know that's what she wants." Emily added.

"Besides, don't think too much into Ian's job here. Sports science and medicine is just a glorified college term for future gym teacher, sports masseuse, or sports trainer. And it's not like we'll even run into him when he's here. We never head to the sports building unless it's to see Emily compete and it's a big campus, so we won't see him. Besides, you're busy enough as it is, and we'll help with that." Will assured her.

"Ok…ok." Spencer said, finally calming down.

"Good." Will rubbed his hand and flexed his fingers a bit to get some feeling back. "Now, we head to the reception, mingle with the other parents, head to Emily's swim meet to watch her kick ass, then head to Aria' design showcase before wrapping it up with a trip to the academic building and showing all of Spencer's awards to stick it to Melissa."

"Thanks, Will." Spencer said as they joined their parents at the reception. The Dean gave his small speech to the students and visiting parents and there was a small welcome reception/lunch, so everyone ate and mingled amongst each other. Melissa did her job and began introducing Ian around to the students and other professors and enjoying herself. Spencer and the others shot back by introducing her parents to all her professors, academic instructors and other important people of the university who knew Spencer and they said nothing but good things about her. They praised her work ethic, grades, and her attitude and said she was an amazing student, well on her way to graduating summa cum laude. Her parents smiled and talked praise about their daughter and were proud which made Spencer happy and seeing Melissa's face made it all better. When Melissa would introduce herself and Ian, all the professors would talk praise about Spencer and her achievements. Will looked around and noticed that Dr. Connors wasn't here but before he could wonder where he could be, he and the girls were pulled into another conversation.

May smiled as she watched Will kiss Aria on the head and pulled her close for a one-armed hug. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time…life was going good for both of them. "Here." Ella walked over with a cup of coffee for her.

"Thank you." May replied, taking a small sip.

"I want to say thank you again for everything you've done for Aria. It's been hard having her so far away from home, but I feel better knowing you've helped a lot. Aria's sang so much praise about you and Will." Ella said.

"It's been my pleasure." May said, looking at Will, Aria, Emily, and Spencer talk to some other students. "I love the girls. I'm just glad they found each other and they found Will."

"You have a special son, May." Pam said to her. "You should be very proud."

May looked at Will and smiled; proud of him for not only doing well in school and his regular life but for everything he's done as Spider-man in keeping the city safe. He's come a long way. "I am." May said, happy about everything. "Things have been going well for both of us."

"Really?" Ella asked.

"Don't tell Will but I have been getting my social life back in some kind of semblance of order." May told her.

"Oh, believe me, my lips are sealed." Ella joked as the moms shared a laugh.

Will saw his mom enjoying herself which was nice when he noticed the time and realized Emily needed to head out. "Em, you need to head out to your meet. We'll meet you there."

"Right." Emily put her punch cup down and ran up to her mom and dad, giving them a quick kiss goodbye before heading to the university's pool.

The reception ended soon so students and their parents left to head to other department showcases or events like music performances and department mixers. Will, Aria, Spencer, and their parents made their way over to the athletic portion of campus. They entered the school's pool where other students, parents, and visitors from the other universities were piling in to watch the swim meet. There were student volunteers who were handing out Starling City University sports flags with the Starling City Shark mascot on them, or as it would soon be renamed the STAR city shark. Will took a small Star city shark plushy as he and everyone took their seats in the bleachers.

"So, I think our mission seems to be going well so far." He said as he, Spencer, and Aria glanced over at Melissa and Ian who were keeping to themselves a bit more.

"That it does. If Melissa thinks she can tear me down here, then she has another thing coming." Spencer added, in a gleefully threatening yet happy tone.

"Whoa, Spencer. Take it down a notch. You're starting to scare me." Aria told her.

"I'm not scary." Spencer said.

"You are a tiny bit." Will joked, causing her to punch him in the shoulder which was a bad idea because of his new super strength. Spencer nursed her hand a bit when she notice Alison walk in with her older brother and mom and there seemed to be some arguing and it wasn't a good thing.

"Hey, check it out." Spencer pointed over to Alison so Will and Aria could see. "Guess everything's not going so great over in Allie's perfect world."

"If I had to garner a guess, I think it has to do with her failing chemistry and being on academic probation." Will said.

"What makes you say that?" Aria asked.

"I might have taken a peek at Dr. Connor's books when it was on his desk…when he wasn't looking and saw her grade. Even though her name is Alison, the only _A_ I saw was in the word failing." Will told them.

"Guess not everything is perfect with Alison and her horde of mindless drones." Aria said.

"Just think about it…in another reality, you and she could have been best friends. Extra glad that I saved you and Emily from being friends with her?" Will asked. Aria smiled and gave him a kiss.

"Definitely." Aria replied.

"She absolutely should. If Will hadn't saved you from Alison, you two would never have been a thing." Spencer pointed out.

"That's true." Will said as Aria looked at him offended. "Come to think of it, if we hadn't met the first day of classes and became friends, a lot of things would be different."

"Like what?" Aria asked.

"Well, like Spencer said, we wouldn't be dating." Will told her.

"Why, you think I'm that shallow?" Aria asked as Will gulped.

"No, but if you were friends with Alison then you never would have given me the time of day let alone us becoming close. Alison would have done her little mind control thing and turned you into her little drone." Will joked, tapping her nose causing her to chuckle. "Emily too so we wouldn't be friends. That's…kind of depressing to think about."

"Well, what about Spencer?" Aria asked.

"We probably would have." Spencer said but Will shook his head no.

"I don't think so." He said as Spencer looked at him. "We became friends after the whole Huntress incident, and you showed up at my dorm room with Aria and Emily. Not to mention you were friends with Aria and Emily so it helped us become close but if Aria and I weren't friends then you would likely have become friends with Alison as well."

"That's a terrifying thought." Spencer replied. "But Will you can't possible know that's what would have happened."

"Sure, I can't tell you what would have happened, but I can paint us a general idea. I've studied enough physics and watched enough movies about time travel to know that events build on one another from a primary point in time. In this case, if I hadn't met Aria and Emily the first day of classes. A lot of things now are kind of a product of that moment."

"Yeah right." Aria said, thinking he was kidding.

"No, I'm serious. If we hadn't met then Spencer and I wouldn't be friends, neither would I be with Emily or you." Will told her.

"True but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have asked you out." Aria said but Will shook his head.

"I don't think so. If this is a scenario where we never became friends, I would stick to myself while you would be part of Alison's popular crowd giving you any guy you want to date. Plus, if we weren't friends, you never would have given me my makeover to how I am now. I'd still be meek, shy, nerd Will Detmer." Will pointed out and Aria began to get offended that he thought so little of her, so he decided to end it. "If I hadn't met you that day…my life would be crap. Let alone being Spider-man, you made me a better person for it. I'm the luckiest guy in the universe."

"Good save." Aria told him, giving him a quick kiss.

"Here's a thought, if you hadn't met Aria…would you still be Spider-man?" Spencer asked causing Will to think.

"Hmm…that's a good question. I'd still have my powers since I still would have gone to the Particle Accelerator for my physics class, but I think things would be different. I don't know if I would have gone to stop the Huntress. I did that because Emily and Aria were in danger." Will said when he noticed the death glare Spencer was giving him. "And to save you and the other hostages, of course."

"Sure." Spencer rolled her eyes causing Aria to laugh.

"I wouldn't have people to talk to about this which would have made it harder…but I think I still might have. I would have been in the city for Deathstroke's siege with my mom so I would have tried to help her. Maybe, still become Spider-man but things would be a lot different and a lot harder without my support group." Will came to that conclusion after thinking things over. "Bottom line, my life is amazing because of you girls."

"Aww." Aria gave him another kiss and he kissed back. "Well, our lives are more fun with you in it."

"That is definitely the truth." Spencer said. "Let's just hope we never run into an _It's a Wonderful Life_ Scenario when we have to find out."

"Amen to that." Will replied as the swim meet was about to begin so the sports announcers got on the loudspeakers.

 _"_ _Welcome everyone to the State qualifiers swim meet. The school that wins today will be moving on to the regional qualifiers in November. We have our visiting schools North Pacific University, Ravenswood College, Rosewood University and our very own Starling City University Sharks!"_ He shouted and all the students and parents cheered.

"Go Emily!" Will shouted as he and the girls waved at her by the pool and she waved back.

 _"_ _Swimmers take your mark_ …" The announcer said as the first group got on their diving platforms. " _Get set…go!"_

The first group of swimmers took off and began making their way down the pool as fast as they could. Everyone cheered as the race seemed to be neck and neck between all of them. The swimmers doubled back and tagged in the next group and they did the same followed by the next group and then the next after that. It was soon down to the anchors of the teams which meant that Emily was up next, but Starling City University was behind, so she had to kick it into overdrive. Emily put on her goggles and readied herself, watching her teammate race back to the side. The second her teammate finished, Emily dove into the pool like a shark and swam as fast as she could.

"Look at her go!" Aria said in excitement as Emily booked it down the lane with gusto, catching up to the lead swimmer.

"She's catching up!" Spencer shouted.

"No, she's passing! GO EMILY!" Will shouted, taking photos of the entire thing. The swimmers touched the far wall and began swimming back to the start to finish the race. Emily picked up the pace and began swimming faster and faster, passing everyone and taking the lead. She was like a dolphin racing through the water. Emily hit the wall, sounding the buzzer as everyone cheered for her. "YESS!"

 _"_ _And the Starling City Sharks take the win with anchor Emily Fields setting a new school record!"_ The announcer proclaimed as Emily got out of the pool and hugged her coach and teammates in joy.

"Yeah, Emily!" Aria shouted in joy. Emily's parents were thrilled in seeing her action and setting a new school record and securing the school's shot for the regional qualifiers. "Let's go!"

Will, Aria, and Spencer raced down the bleachers and made their way over to the team who were toweling off. Emily dried her hair with her towel and saw her friends rush over. "I did it!" She shouted in glee when Will ran over and picked her up, spinning her around in a crazy hug. "Oh, my god! Will, put me down! I'm still wet!"

"Worth it to hug a celebrity!" Will joked, putting her down so the others could hug her. "You not only won but set a new school record."

"Emily, this is huge. You got the school in the regional qualifiers! That hasn't happened in ten years!" Aria exclaimed.

"I know. I didn't think I'd make it." Emily said, wiping her face.

"You seemed to be doing just fine. I think that was the fastest we've ever seen you go." Spencer said.

"I need a photo to commemorate this event." Will said, taking a picture of Emily to mark this occasion. Spencer and Aria joined in for a few photos and Will took an extra one for Maya. Emily's parents came over to congratulate and tell her how proud they were. She left for the locker room after to take a quick shower and join them outside. Emily's parents were so proud of their daughter for how she performed in the meet and that she was able to break a school record.

They made their way to the art's building for the student showcase where all projects, paintings, and performances for the students involved in the art majors were displayed. They walked into the art's building and once they did Will just sighed in exhaustion. "You've got to be kidding me." He said to himself.

The reason he said that was because everything that was on display was inspired by his alter-ego, Spider-man. There were Spider-man painting and drawings that showed him swinging through the city or stopping bad guys. There were expressionist and modernist pieces next to abstract Spider-man sculptures or mannequins dressed up in Spider-man inspired fashion.

"Wow, check out all the Spider-man stuff." Aria said, sarcastically as Will looked at her.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" He asked and saw the funny look Aria was giving him.

"Because I wanted to see your face when you saw this for the first time. And let me tell you that it didn't disappoint." She joked, kissing him on the cheek.

"Cute, very cute." Will said, pulling her close and kissing her on the head. "You're lucky I like you so much."

"I know." Aria replied, giving him a quick kiss.

"Whoa, check out all the Spider-man stuff." Mike said, excited as he walked over to a mannequin that had a Spider-man inspired outfit on it. Kind of like if Spider-man went punk rock.

"Are you a fan of Spider-man, Mike?" Will asked.

"Yeah, he's so cool. I've read all the articles on him since he showed up in Starling. He's actually national news. A real life superhero." Mike replied. "Have you guys every seen him?"

"Uh…no, not that I can remember." Will told him.

"Me neither, little bro. We kind of keep to campus and Spider-man doesn't come here." Aria added.

"And that's a good thing. The last thing I need is Aria caught up in the crossfire between a superhero and criminals." Her dad said. Aria glanced at Will and saw he kept a neutral expression.

"I couldn't agree more with you, Byron. Protecting the city should be left to the police and people trained to uphold the law. Not some crazy vigilantes who wear masks and take the law into their own hands." Wayne Fields added.

"Dad, Spider-man and the Arrow have saved the city plenty of times. They put bad guys in jail." Emily told him.

"Maybe, Emily but they also break the law and their fights put innocent people in danger. I mean, the Arrow used to be a killer and now the police are ok with him?" Wayne told her. "There are people trained to protect the innocent and uphold the law. The second we let Vigilantes run wild then we get anarchy."

"That's a fair point." Peter Hastings added. "I mean, it's been barely six months since the siege where those masked men terrorized the city."

"And the Arrow stopped them and Deathstroke. I'm sure even Spider-man was there before he put on that mask." Spencer suggested.

"Well, maybe that wouldn't have happened if Spider-man and the Arrow didn't exist." Byron added.

"Well, I think we can all say that we don't know anything because none of us know the heroes. Besides, let's not focus on the whole ethics of vigilantism while we're here." May said, trying to get the point of the conversation away from heroes and hearing them badmouth her son.

"She's right. We are here to bask in the greatness that is Aria Montgomery and the artistic pleasures she has ready for us." Will said, making a dramatic gesture down the hall which drew a few chuckles.

Aria's mom walked over to her daughter and nudged her in the side. "He's cute, smart, and funny. You nagged a good one." She whispered.

"You have no idea." Aria whispered back as they began making their way through the art showcase. They looked at the displays and most of them were Spider-man inspired but not all of them. There were some nice expressionist and postmodern sculptures, various paintings ranging from amateur to potentially museum worthy. Granted that was a matter of opinion.

They got to some of Aria's pieces which were fashion related. There was some of her design sketches put in display frames. Aria's parents gushed over how great they were and how proud they are of their daughter. Emily's mom suggested that Aria's outfits would look amazing on her daughter while Emily just nodded but didn't really feel the same way. Aria was a great designer, but she wasn't feeling the ones at the moment. Will used his camera and took photos of all the designs. He glanced over at Aria and saw the pride and happiness on her face as her parents gushed over her designs and other parents and students complimented her.

"I have to ask, Aria…." Will said, getting her attention. "…you said that your design professor has that fashion show coming up, are we going to see any of your designs on display?"

"Yeah, actually our professor says we all can create one design to use in the showcase next month which is going to be awesome." Aria told him.

"Maybe your father and I should visit your school that weekend to see it?" her mother suggested.

"If you don't, you'll have free professional photographs waiting for you if you can't." Will held up his camera and took on quick picture of them together.

"Thank you, Will." Bryon said and Will smiled. "Are any of your photos going to be up here?"

"Uh, no actually. I've kind of lost touch with photography to be completely honest. That is, until Aria got my old camera completely refurbished for my birthday." Will said, holding it up. "Honestly, it feels good to get back into it but my schedules filled to the brim as it is."

"Well, perhaps you should get back into it?" Byron suggested.

"We'll see if my schedule makes room for it but my academic record is already full enough." Will replied before thinking _. "Not to mention that being Spider-man would make it even harder."_

"Oh, this is nice. You should definitely try and make this, Aria." Spencer said, looking at a beautiful red and blue off shoulder dress with small edges of white at the bottom. A sort of Spider-woman dress.

"Yeah, it would make a pretty great dress for a Fourth of July Party." Will said, snapping a photo. "Switch out the blue with green and you have a Christmas dress."

"Hmm, not a bad idea. Aren't I lucky to have a super smart boyfriend." Aria walked over and gave him a quick kiss and Will eagerly kissed back. Ella and May smiled at the little exchange. The two were just so cute together. They continued to explore more of the art's building and saw more projects on display. There was a little musical performance which was nice and once that was done they made their way into the main academic building for Spencer's turn in the limelight.

They arrived at the massive building where other students and parents were walking around and visiting the various department showcases/meet-&-greets. Will, Aria, Spencer, and Emily showed their parents around and introduced them to their teachers they didn't see at the reception. Will and the girls pointed out all the academic awards and plaques that Spencer had which drew admiration from her parents. Spencer, being the massive Brainiac that she was, was an academic heavyweight at the university and she was only a sophomore. Basically, any subject that wasn't science based she pretty much dominated. Science was Will's expertise. Math was a subject the two battled over for dominance.

"And on this wall here is where the school's debate and academic decathlon plaques, awards, and trophies are set up." Will said, pretending to be a little tour guide to the parents. "And up at the top are the plaques of the captains which happens to be our Spencer."

"That's our Spencer. Always the over achiever." Peter Hastings said, proud of his younger daughter.

"Yup, she keeps it up like this then she's well on her way to getting Summa Cum Laude in two years." Emily added.

"And we'll make sure she has a social life while she does that." Aria joked as Spencer lightly elbowed her in the side.

"Well, we thought being here in Starling would mean we could check up on Spencer more often and make sure she's ok. Which we will but it looks like she's in good hands." Veronica Hastings said.

"Don't worry, Spencer's in the best of hands." Will said, slinging his arm over her shoulder while Emily and Aria pulled her into a side hug.

"Will, I have a question. Spencer often spoke of you as an academic rival but I noticed your name was nowhere to be seen on your little tour." Spencer's dad asked, curious. When Spencer came home for a little during the summer she spoke about Will and how he was just as smart as her and by the way she spoke made it sound like he was a serious academic.

"I do very well in school, but my specialty is more science related. Spencer kind of beats me in English, history, finance, foreign languages and pretty much everything that isn't science based. I do great but Spencer is better than me in those subjects whereas I beat her in Science." Will explained while Spencer elbowed him in the side. "Ow, and she doesn't like to be reminded that I best her in subjects that are science related."

"Are you majoring in physics?" Bryon Montgomery asked.

"Actually double majoring in physics and engineering with a double minor in chemistry and biology." Will replied and all the parents were impressed.

"Wow. That's a lot. How do you manage all that?" Ella Montgomery asked.

"Science kind of comes naturally to me. Always has." Will replied.

"That's true." May added. "Will has always shown a talent for science. I can't tell you the amount of Science fair trophies and science awards he's won. All through middle school and it got him a scholarship to Starling Academy. It even got him notice from MIT."

"Wow, very impressive." Wayne Fields said. "How come you didn't go there? MIT is an amazing school."

"I thought about it, but I preferred being closer to home. Besides, if I went to MIT, I'd never have met my favorite girls." Will said, wrapping his arms around Spencer, Emily, and Aria causing all the parents to awe. "I'm happy here. I'm working on a really great project with Dr. Connors as his lab assistant. He's a physics, biology and chemistry professor here and my college advisor."

"Is there any chance we can see what you're working on?" Bryon Montgomery asked.

"Probably not but I can show the lab we work out of?" Will suggested. "One last way to kill some time before we head to the city for dinner."

"Sounds like a great idea." May said as they all left for the science building with Will leading the way.

Line Break xxxxx

Dr. Curt Connors was in his lab working on a very secret project that was very near and dear to his heart. While Will did caution restraint and patience with the Genetic Recombinator, Dr. Connors was determined and knew that he could figure out a way to get the Recombinator to regrow limbs. He was adjusting an RNA genetic vial with his own cross-species genetic research of Lizard DNA, trying to isolate the cellular activity that facilitates cellular regeneration. Dr. Connors was adjusting his ØØ Decay Rate Algorithm to the DNA sample which would preempt the proteins and immune response to the subject so when they were exposed to the Recombinator beam the transformation wouldn't cause cellular degradation and result in sickness, mutations or death. Dr. Connors heard some voices from the door so he saved his work and put it in his secure file.

The door opened and Will walked in followed by everyone else. "Dr. Connors is an amazing mentor to work with. Not to mention the espresso machine he had is a nice bonus." Will stopped when he saw Dr. Connors at his desk. "Dr. Connors, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, just getting in some work." He replied, putting his test vial into the locked drawer in his desk. "Science waits for no man…"

"So we don't wait for the opportunity." Will finished the quote. "This would explain why you weren't at the Parent's day reception."

"Ah, I knew I was forgetting something today." Dr. Connor said, slamming his forehead. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, no worry although I think you might have to answer to the reception committee." Will joked. "I hope I wasn't interrupting something important. I thought I'd show everyone the lab."

"No problem." Dr. Connors told him, walking up to the ground. "May, it's good to see you again."

"You too, Curt." May gave him a quick hug. "How are Martha and Billy?"

"Martha is great. Billy has been obsessed with your spaghetti and meatball recipe ever since Will's birthday. I don't suppose you can give me the recipe?" He asked but May shook her head no.

"Sorry, but that's a secret family recipe." May told him.

"Don't bother, Dr. Connors. I've tried for years but she said she won't tell me until I'm forty." Will added.

"Well, I figured I'd try." Dr. Connors said before looking at Aria, Emily, and Spencer. "Aria, Emily, and Spencer it's good to see you three."

"Hey, Dr. Connors." Aria happily greeted him. "Mom, dad, everyone this is Dr. Curt Connors. The university's resident biology and chemistry professor."

"Hello, nice to meet you all." Dr. Connors introduced himself to the parents and siblings. "I hope you've been enjoying today so far. All of your daughters have been a pleasure to have in my classes."

"Well, you must be an excellent teacher if Aria managed to get an A in chemistry last year." Bryon Montgomery said causing Aria to blush a bit.

"I can't take all the credit. She and the others are lucky to have my prize pupil and lab assistant as a friend." Dr. Connors pat Will on the shoulder in pride. "Will is one of the most gifted students in the entire science department. He's gonna go on to do great things."

"And one of those things is working with Dr. Connors on his project." Will added.

"What kind of project?" Peter Hastings asked.

"Um…kind of a secret project at the moment, sorry. I'm not sure if we can go into detail." Will replied.

"Oh, it's all right, Will. The school board knows what we're trying to do and the patent's already been set up. Besides, there's a new RNA strain that I've been wanting to test so perhaps a demonstration might be a nice way to cap off your tour." Dr. Connors suggested.

"All right. Sounds good to me." He replied as he walked over to the coat rack to get his lab coat and goggles. "Everyone, please follow me over here."

Will led them to the test lab where their equipment was set up and gave the group their first look at the DNA Genetic Recombinator. "Is that a giant laser?" Mike Montgomery asked.

"No, unfortunately not Mike. That is a DNA Genetic Recombinator. It's a highly advanced genetic sequencing device that we plan to use to help the world." Will explained, going over to the computer and setting up the system and Recombinator for another test.

"Uh, Will do you mind explaining that for those of us who aren't scientifically inclined?" Aria asked, gesturing to everyone else who seemed confused.

"Dr. Connors?" Will motioned for him to speak while he moved the Recombinator arm into position.

"Sure thing. As Aria mentioned I'm teach biology and chemistry, but my primary training is as a molecular geneticist." Dr. Connors explained while some of the group was still confused.

"It means Dr. Connors is the foremost specialist in genetic changes and mutations of DNA on the west coast." Will further explained which help those who were confused.

"Thank you, Will. Now, my field focus is primarily diseases and mutation. Mankind has done a lot in medicine and treatment with diseases and viruses that were once rampant. Polio, smallpox, and even the common cold. But there are still troubles that medicine and science hasn't been able to deal with such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Cystic Fibrosis, and even cancer. This is where my research is focused on dealing with but not with vaccines or radiation and instead with genetic sequencing." Dr. Connors told them.

"How do you do that?" Peter Hastings asked, curious about the whole thing.

"Well, that's what we've been working on for the past couple of months." Will replied, having gotten the Recombinator into position and now going to the cooler to grab their cancerous tumor sample.

"The Recombinator is how we plan to combat that. It was built with the help of a colleague of mine, Dr. Stillwell at MIT and we paid Smythe Industries to help us construct it." Dr. Connors told them.

"Don't ask how much it costs because you don't want to know. Trust me." Will added causing Dr. Connors to chuckle.

"Science and changing the world is never cheap, unfortunately but it's worth it. The key to the Recombinator is in the RNA sequencing vials. RNA is the essential biological component used in genetic coding, decoding, regulation and expressions of the genes. Most cellular organisms, humans included use messenger RNA strands to convey genetic information into the body. The vials contain blank RNA sequences that we then adjust depending on what we're trying to treat. The Recombinator then turns the vial into a beam of concentrated energy that helps the subject's body recover and repair itself." Dr. Connors explained.

"Wow, that's incredible." Pamela Fields said.

"We're still early into the beta-testing phase but we've had success in treating tumors and completely reversing them." Will said, bringing Pinky's cage over for them to meet. "This is Pinky. This cute little guy had a tumor on his back but after his first Recombinator treatment and some time it's gone."

"Impressive." Bryon told him as they all looked at Pinky who was happily munching his food. "So, what are you working on now?"

"Right now, we're working on cancerous tumors trials." Dr. Connors said, inserting the RNA vial into the Recombinator and pressed a few buttons. "Now, let's get the show started."

Dr. Connors and Will moved over to the computer console and got their safety goggles on. Aria, Spencer, Emily, and their parents joined them by the console while Will got them all extra pairs of safety goggles from the cabinet. "The laser is bright, so everyone please place your goggles on." Will instructed and they all did as they were told. "Now, please buckle your seatbelts, keep your arms inside the ride at all times and remember no flash photography."

His joke drew a few chuckles as Dr. Connors pressed a few buttons on the computer console and energized the RNA vial before he inserted in place into the Recombinator. The mechanical arm moved it into position and aimed at the cancerous tumor petri dish set up on the table. The Recombinator hummed and powered up before it fired a green laser at the dish. The beam fired for about 20 seconds before it stopped and the Recombinator powered down. Dr. Connors pressed another set of command buttons and the mechanical arm lowered into standby position. "Status?" Dr. Connors asked as Will checked on the biometric readings from the petri dish.

"Cancel cells division and growth have decreased by 50% and vitals have improved. Regular cell division has reoccurred. RNA number 13.258 has improved on the previous iteration." Will told him.

"Excellent. Just like our simulations predicted. We're getting closer and closer. We might even be able to move to more difficult cancer samples." Dr. Connors suggested.

"And one more step to coming up with a viable treatment for Cancer." Will said, taking off his goggles and looking at the others. "And that's essentially what I do when I'm not busy with classes and homework. I hoped you enjoyed the final stop on our tour and please don't forget to tip your waitress."

Will took a dramatic bow causing Dr. Connors to chuckle. "Another bonus to having him as my assistant besides his remarkable brain is his humor. You'd be surprised how many scientists have little time for jokes. And I share his sentiment and hope that you all enjoyed the little demonstration."

"Please, the pleasure was ours, Dr. Connors. This is incredible work." Peter Hastings said, shaking his hand. "My wife and I happen to be council for Dr. Raymond Palmer of Palmer Technologies. If you would like, perhaps I could arrange a meeting between two fellow scientists to generate funding for your project?"

 _"_ _I think you just opened Pandora's Box."_ Spencer whispered to Will.

 _"_ _Maybe but it couldn't hurt. We could use the funding to speed up the research_." He whispered back.

"Well, I'll never say to no to additional funding and I've heard some very good things from Dr. Palmer." Dr. Connors replied.

"Excellent, I'll give you my card and we'll be in touch." Peter Hastings handed him his business card and Dr. Connors handed him his as well.

"We'll be in touch. I hoped you all enjoy the little demonstration and all of Parent's day and I hoped I managed to inspire the thrill of science into one potential college student." Dr. Connors said, referring that last point to Aria's younger brother Mike.

"I wouldn't put your hopes up Dr. Connors. My brother isn't the science type." Aria told him.

"Science is not just for the scientists and science-inclined but to those who are willing to put in the time and effort into what they are doing. You'd be surprised with what you can accomplish so long as you try." Dr. Connors told her.

"Ah, another wise word of wisdom from Dr. Connors." Will said. "We even each other out. He provides the wisdom and I keep things fun and light with my jokes."

"Yeah, maybe a little too fun." May said, pulling him close and ruffling his hair before placing a kiss on his head. "Why can't you be a little more serious every now and then?"

"I'm serious when the situation calls for it but I prefer to be funny." Will joked causing his mom to huff and pinch his cheeks. "Well, let's get out of here before my mom decided to embarrass me any further. I'll see you on Monday, Dr. Connors."

"See you then and enjoy the weekend." He replied, bidding them all a goodbye.

"Well, Will that was very impressive. Not many students such as you are working on groundbreaking projects like that during their sophomore year of college." Bryon Montgomery complemented him and Will smiled. Aria smiled as well, happy that her dad liked him and after seeing what he was doing with Dr. Connors she knew that it helped settled any doubt her parents would have on him. Granted, if they ever found out he was Spider-man then they might explode.

"Well, I'm unique in that way. I'd like to think of myself as an enigma wrapped inside a puzzle wrapped inside six feet of humor." Will joked. "Honestly, I guess you can say I have a habit of wanting to help people and solve problems."

"So, do you honestly think you'll be able to do anything serious with the laser?" Mike asked and Will shrugged in response.

"With enough testing, most likely but we still have some work before we can even think of testing this on actual people." He replied. "But by the end of the school year we might actually have something viable."

"So, I imagine you plan to try and work for one of those big science companies after graduation like Stag industries?" Mr. Fields asked and Will took a moment to think. Before the Particle Accelerator that was kind of the plan but after the whole spider bite thing, he hasn't given any thought to his future. Honestly, he hasn't given any thought to anything in the future past a month.

"Honestly, Mr. Fields I'm not entirely sure what the world holds for me after graduation." He admitted. "The plans I originally had set for me…well, I'm not sure how plausible they are anymore. I do know that science is going to be a major part of it and like Dr. Connors I want to help people but I'm not entirely sure exactly what is gonna happen after graduation."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Will. It'll work itself out for you." Ella Montgomery assured him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Montgomery. So, Mike what do you think about SCU? Think it's a possibility and I'm partially asking because I know that it would drive Aria insane." Will joked which got him an elbow to the side courtesy of Aria and a smack to the head by Emily.

"I'm not sure yet. I mean, this place is great but I don't know if I'm ready to commit the next four years of my life to here yet." Mike replied.

"Well, don't rush the decision. College is going to be one of the most important choices you'll make in your life so make sure it's the best one." May said.

"She's right, Mike. Give it some more thought and make sure it's the right decision." Will added. "So, I think today had been a great success on our part. How about we meet up by the same fountain from this morning in about two hours? It should give us some time to get ready and take care of what we need to do."

"Sounds like a great idea. We'll meet you there when we're ready for dinner." Mr. Hastings said as the parents bid their children farewell. Once they were out of earshot they all took a major sigh of relief.

"Dear god. Thankfully that all went well and your parents or more importantly your dad won't kill me." Will said to Aria.

"That's a good point but I think after your little science display you got on his good side." She told him. "I'm sure my dad thinks you're an improvement on the last guy I dated."

"And who would that be?" Will asked but Aria kept her mouth shut with a smirk. He playfully kissed her head before seeing the smile on Spencer's face. "Well, Spence I think I can say for all of us that we managed to stop Melissa's plan to outshine you today."

"That we did. Thanks a lot for today guys. I mean it." Spencer said.

"Don't mention it. Something tells me we're going to get into the habit of it with Ian working here now." Aria said.

"Or at least Emily will. She's the one who spends the most time in the athletic building." Will pointed out only for Emily to stick her tongue out at him.

"Thanks." She said, sarcastically.

"Oh, don't get into a bad mood, Aquagirl. You broke a school record and got the swim team into the regional qualifiers. This is a big day." He said. "I'm sure if Maya was here, she'd be showering you with kisses and getting back at me and Aria for our public displays of affection."

"Shut up." Emily told him, turning to the side and brushing her hair to the side to avoid them seeing her blush but they saw it.

"Aw, Emily's so cute when she blushes." Aria joked. "Well, she's showing up later this week so you have that to look forward to."

"All right. You girls head back and get ready for dinner and I'm going to call Yuri to check up on what's going on." Will told them and they went their separate ways. He got back to his dorm room and put on a pair of nice black dress pants, shoes, and a white undershirt before grabbing his burner cell to contact Yuri.

 _"_ _Spider-man."_ Yuri answered.

"Hey, Yuri. I don't suppose Lady Luck loves us and decided to get the bad guys we captured to spill on who the Big Man is?" He asked.

 _"_ _Unfortunately, no. Over fifty bad guys put away in jail and awaiting trial for drug trafficking, weapons possession and a load of other crimes but no one is talking about the Big Man. Whoever this guy is, he has his henchmen scared stupid and I mean stupid. Either that or a strong sense of loyalty."_ She told him, typing up her report at her desk. _"But we took over 20 million dollars of drugs from the site so the Big Man took a big hit."_

"That's great but from what we've been dealing with the past few weeks shows that the Big Man will just keep drudging up more revenue. We need to find out who this guy is. Did they give you anything on Hammerhead?" He asked only to hear Yuri chuckle.

 _"_ _Please, we never got anything on Hammerhead during his Maggia days so there's no chance we're getting anything now. And if he's consistent then he likely has someone inside the department so trying to get a CI is dangerous."_ Yuri told him.

"I can trust you, right Yuri? Just kidding. Trying to alleviate the tension with humor but it's not working. Did Vulture give you anything?" He asked.

 _"_ _Nothing concrete there. Toomes isn't saying who hired him but I think I might be able to figure something out on our end from the technology. I've been doing some digging into Smythe Technologies after what you told me about the drone."_ Yuri informed him.

"And did you find anything?" He asked. "Can you find anything? I figured you won't be able to find much without a warrant and probably cause."

 _"_ _And you're right but I've been subtly reaching out to my contacts and old CIs in Central city."_ She told him which drew a raised eyebrow.

"You have contacts and CIs in Central City?" He asked.

 _"_ _I had a life before you met me, Spider-man and we'll leave it at that unless you want to be forthcoming about who you are under that mask?"_ Yuri shot back. Will didn't answer right away because there was a small part of him that felt maybe Yuri knowing the truth about him might be a good idea. As weird as their relationship has been, he trusted her. Especially considering that there's the possibility he might have to do the same to Captain Lance depending on his reaction and response.

"Maybe one day, Yuri." He told her causing her to chuckle.

 _"_ _I'll hold you to that. Anyway, my sources say that there's been something odd going on at Smythe Technologies."_ Yuri told him.

"Odd like what?" He asked.

 _"_ _Well, for one thing there was a massive black cargo truck that left the Smythe Technologies building a few weeks ago along with a blacked out sedan. And if that's not odd for you then there's this. Apparently, the CEO and founder of the company Spencer Smythe hasn't been seen in that same amount of time and neither has his son and heir Alistair Smythe."_ Yuri told him.

"Ok, seemingly more interesting. Please continue." He said when he heard the electronic lock to his door go off and Aria walked in, wearing a black dress designed with blue hearts, a black jacket over that, a nice necklace/choker, matching purse and heeled boots. He smiled, waved, and motioned her to come in. "I'm guessing that you managed to find something odd with Mr. Rich Tech inventor and his son not being seen the last month."

 _"_ _You're right about that. Officially, they're supposed to be on some kind of retreat/vacation thing abroad in Europe but I haven't been able to dig up a solid piece of photo evidence or physical trace of them being there. And then there's this…"_ Yuri brought up some stilled traffic camera footage that showed Alistair going down the street in his wheelchair with a bag of takeout in his lap. " _I've got CCTV camera footage of young Alistair Smythe with takeout in his lap from a Chinese restaurant…in Starling City."_

"He's here?" Will asked as Aria sat down at his desk and looked over some of his gadget prototypes.

 _"_ _The footage was a week ago which is in between Shocker and Vulture's appearance. He got into a blacked out sedan but I lost them in the industrial area."_ She told him. _"I think you're right that the Big Man has Smythe Technologies building weapons for his…supervillains to try and take you out."_

"Well this is the rare moment I was hoping that I was wrong." He said, rubbing his eyes and trying to think of what they could do to fix this problem. "Well, The Big Man's sites we've been hitting are funded and covered to look like legitimate businesses so maybe funding to Smythe is one way he keeps his money clean."

 _"_ _And would explain why he went to them for weapons to take you out. You've been hitting his revenue which means Smythe gets hit as well. The Big Man and Hammerhead provide the muscle while Smythe provides the weapons. Awesome in theory but there's no way Smythe is going to have anyway to tie any of this back to him."_ Yuri pointed out.

"And the Big Man is likely to ensure that if this does come back to bite him it'd be Smythe who takes the bullet and Hammerhead would clean up loose ends. We're up a creak without a paddle, pardon the old phrase." Will said. "We'll think of something. They'll screw up eventually, bad guys always do. I'll do some digging in the industrial area tonight or tomorrow and see if I can find something or if someone's seen something. People love me so they'll talk."

 _"_ _True but you do know anything you say will be hard to get through to court. We'll have to do this the legal way."_ Yuri told him.

"And we will like we've been doing so far. I find out where the bad guys are, make a little noise that gets the police involved and let exigent circumstances take over from there." Will told her.

 _"_ _Exigent circumstances? What are you a lawyer when you're not wearing that mask?"_ Yuri asked.

"Please, as if a lawyer would actually be able to do his job well if he moonlit as a superhero. No, I just happen to have some very knowledgeable friends." Will told her before giving a smile to Aria. "By the way, how's Captain Lance?"

Yuri let out a sigh which was all he needed to hear. She looked over at his office and saw it was empty. _"He hasn't been in all day and no one's heard from him, calls go straight to voicemail. Something tells me he's going to take a few days off."_

"Right. Keep me posted. I'll want to talk to him and explain myself and hopefully let him know that I'm on his side." He told her.

 _"_ _Will do."_ Yuri said before hanging up.

"Is everything ok?" Aria asked.

"Ask me another day. If only Spider-man's crime fighting life was as easy as Will Detmer impressing his girlfriend's parents." He replied, sitting down on his bed. "But Yuri and I are dealing with it. We'll figure it out."

"You will. There's nothing Spider-man can't do when he puts his mind to it." She told him and he smiled.

"If I didn't know any better it sounds like you've got a superhero crush." Will joked. Aria chuckled and walked over to him, taking his hands into hers.

"Well, I like to think he's very handsome under that mask. And charming, smart, funny but a bit of a dork." She shot back with a smirk so Will pulled her forward so his hands were around her waist.

"Oh, well if I'm a dork what does that say about the girl who's crazy enough to date that dork?" He playfully asked only for Aria to match his flirting and get close enough so that their lips were barely touching.

"Someone who sees the dork as the amazing person he is." She said, kissing her super-powered boyfriend and he happily reciprocated. She moved her hands along his arms and shoulders to feel his toned muscles. The kissing got a little playful as Will moved to her cheek, forehead, and nose which made her chuckle before moving back down to her lips. She moved her hands up into his hair while his hands moved down to her hips before pulling her up. "Oh, look who's moving a little faster."

"I've got four years of non-existent high school dating to make up for." He replied, moving her over and setting her down on a clear space on his desk.

"Then allow me to educate you." She whispered and the kissing got a little more heated. Aria's hands grabbed his white undershirt and untucked it from his pants to feel his defined abs and muscles. Will took off her jacket and cupped her cheek, getting more into the kissing when both their phones went with texts from Spencer and Emily saying they were ready and that May was waiting for them at the fountain. "They can wait a few more minutes."

"Right." They kept kissing when both of their phones went off with another text from both Spencer and Emily that read, _Stop making out and come now! We're not going to wait around for you two to get busy!"_ "Guess we'll have to pick this up another time."

Will kissed her once more before tucking his undershirt back in his pants and grabbing a dress shirt from his closet. Aria fixed her hair and checked herself for hickies in the mirror before putting her jacket back on. Will finishing doing the last button on his blue button-up before grabbing his jacket. "All right, let's go."

The two left and headed to the fountain where Emily, Spencer, and May were waiting for them. "Took you two long enough." Spencer told them.

"Now, Will I know you're smart and all and I have no right to be controlling you now that you're in college but you're only 20. You and Aria are both too young to be having children." May told them which made Aria and Will blush red in embarrassment while Emily and Spencer laughed out loud.

"Oh, dear god." Will whispered.

"And Aria I'm not sure what kind of birth control you're on if you are on any…" May started.

"Oh, we're going there." Aria said.

"Oh, man." Spencer chuckled to Emily.

"Hey, if we can't talk about it, then we shouldn't be doing it. Right?" May said, getting odd looks from them all. "Now, I'm not going to be saying you're too young for sex but I will tell you that birth control pills are useless against STDs. Make sure you are suited up every time. No pulling up the drawbridge early."

"Ugh, I get it!" Will told her. "Stop, please! Aria and I were just…kissing. All right. We haven't gone that far so please…don't do this…ever again…ever."

"Oh, look they're here. Let's go to dinner. Now" Emily said, pointing to her parents who pulled up in their rental car and saving everyone from the awkward conversation.

"Right, let's go." Spencer said, pushing May to the car.

"Dear god in heaven please strike me down now." Will spoke to the sky.

"This night cannot possibly get any worse. I swear if my mom does the same thing then I'll die." Aria added as the two walked over to the car.

Will wasn't the only one dealing with his own personal issues. Quentin Lance was dealing with it as well but his personal issue was much grimmer in nature. Captain Lance was in the Starling City Cemetery at the grave of his daughter Sara, having just placed a fresh flower wreath there and trying to come to terms with her death…again. He had a large bottle of whiskey in his hands but hadn't found the courage to drink it yet.

He had been there for hours when Laurel showed up. "Dad. I didn't know you were going to be here." She said. The two hadn't spoken since she dropped him off at his apartment after he found out.

"Where else would I be?" He asked. "I got to figure out a way to tell your mother about this. Unless you already told her."

"She doesn't know." Laurel told him as Lance stood up to face his daughter.

"I'm wondering if I hadn't found out the way I did if you would have told her before me or were you going to be concerned about her heart too?" He asked, sarcastically.

"You know if you were going to drink that you would have done it by now." Laurel said, referring to the bottle in his hands that was unopened.

"Really? Because in my mind I've already gone through three of these." Lance said. "The reason I want to crawl into this bottle is because of what you did to me. I love your sister, I love your mom and I love you. They were so much like each other, these wild spirits. But you and I we had something more than that because we were a lot alike and we had a trust and a bond and you broke it. Sara's been dead for weeks and I had to find out from Spider-man, of all people that she was dead."

"Spider-man?" Laurel asked.

"He came to see me a few days ago. Telling me that he wanted me to trust him and everything after everything he's been doing in this city and I felt I owed him that much. After all he saved you when you tried to take a baseball bat to that guy and he put you in the hospital." Lance said, chuckling at his own stupidity at the moment. "I should have realized what was going on with you then but I decided to trust you which was a mistake. Spider-man, a man in a mask told me that Sara was dead and he told me because he felt that I deserved to know the truth and to figure it out for myself and he was right. If only my own daughter felt the same. I don't know how you could do that to us. I don't know how I'm gonna survive this but I got to for my baby girl. But what you've done, I don't know how I'm gonna live through this…or how I'm gonna forgive you."

"Daddy, you should go to a meeting." Laurel told him.

"Yeah, your right. I'll go to the one on Brockton. You go to the one on Fourth." Lance put the bottle in her hand and left. The daughter and father parting on terms that essentially set their relationship from ten to negative one. Laurel looked at the bottle in her hands before uncapping it but instead of drinking it she poured it on the ground. She struggled to hold back the tears but they were of her own making.

Line Break xxxxx

Parents' weekend finished and luckily Will, Aria, Emily, and Spencer survived it although the embarrassment May subjected Will and Aria too was something none of them wanted to relive…ever. They went back to classes and their regular lives which was fine but now it was Monday afternoon and they were at Ted Grant's Boxing gym for their first lesson. They took a bus into the city and were all dressed in workout clothes. Will was wearing some spare sneakers, athletic shorts, and a form-fitting Under Armour shirt. The girls were dressed up in their workout clothes which for Emily was fine as she had dozens of pairs but was wearing some workout shorts and shirt while Spencer and Aria were dressed in yoga pants and workout shirts. They had their hair done up in ponytails with their bags, towels, and water bottle out when they walked into the gym.

"All right. You guys made it. Welcome to your first lesson." Ted welcomed them into the gym, having just finished with another class. "Hope you guys are ready for this."

"I'm ready." Will told him. "Trust me. After an entire high school existence of my head being stuck in a toilet or crammed into a locker, I'm ready for this."

"On a scale of one to ten, how much is this going to hurt tomorrow?" Aria asked.

"I won't go too hard on you guys today. This will just be a warmup and introduction to everything. There's a lot you need to get used to before we go full contact." Ted told them. "Let's get started."

 **Four hours later**

Aria and Spencer were exhausted, doing their best to catch their breath and replace the fluids they sweated out during their first intense workout. Spencer was sprawled out on the floor with a towel over her head while Aria was hunched over a bench, guzzling down water as fast as she could. Emily was faring better, taking some deep heavy breaths with a towel around her neck. She was leaning against the boxing ring post and drinking some water while she watched Will go through the form exercises in a practice spar with Ted. Ted took them all through the exercises they would be doing regularly at their sessions and it would be a mix between cross-fit exercises and actual boxing/sparring. As the girls expected, Will picked up boxing easily and seemed like a natural at it. Once Ted showed him how to throw a punch and the proper form, he was able to get in down very quickly. Even Ted was impressed. He'd only see this kind of thing with former athletes or fighters.

Will threw out three left-right-left combos followed by two quick right jabs, a left hook before ducking under Ted's mock counter attack and then repeated. After about the tenth repetition, Ted threw out a surprise left hook that Will managed to duck under. "Nice!" Ted shouted, relaxing his stance and Will relaxed as well. "Are you sure this is your first class? You're a natural."

"Yeah, first boxing class." Will replied, using his teeth to take undo the Velcro strap on one of the gloves so he could take off the other. "My dad taught me some things before. Guess it's all coming back. And while I may be a science nerd, I'm able to pick up anything once I learn it. And with my body having finally gone through puberty this is a lot easier than I thought it would be."

"Well, I can definitely say that you and Emily are the athletic ones in your group." Ted said as they looked at Spencer and Aria in the corner who looked dead. "But this was a great first lesson. Get back to school, get some rest and try to get some protein within the next hour. I'll see you guys in two days."

"Thanks, Ted." Emily replied, wiping her forehead with her towel as she and Will walked over to Aria and Spencer. "That was actually a lot of fun. And that extra workout will help in the water."

"Yeah, you'll go from swimming like a shark to swimming like a damn Sailfish." Will told her but she looked at him funny. "It's the fastest fish in the ocean able to swim at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. And besides the exercise, you seemed to pick up on the boxing pretty quickly. Some more so than others."

"I'd slap you if I could lift my arms up over my head." Spencer warned him.

"I'd just be happy to get the feeling back in my arms." Aria added. Will smiled before pressing his right index finger to her shoulder and released a small charge of bio-electric energy into her body to help ease the pain and get her moving. "Oohh…. that feels that better."

"My venom shock can disable someone but it can also help ease the pain in the muscles and get you back on your feet." Will said, pulling Aria back up before doing the same thing to Spencer and it worked.

Spencer got back to her feet when she heard someone say her name. "Spencer?" She turned around to see Laurel Lance standing there in workout clothes. "What are you doing here?"

"Laurel, hey. My friends and I just finished up a workout. What are you doing here?" Spencer asked.

"I'm actually about to start my workout. I didn't know you came here." Laurel said.

"Yeah, we just started today. My overprotective nerd friend felt that learning some self-defense lessons might be a good idea but if I knew how draining the lessons would be then I would have never agreed to this." Spencer explained.

"Oh, buck up, Spencer. Remember your Hastings motto, if a Hastings has a shot she makes the most of it. So make the most of it." Will told her.

"Will, it's if a Hastings has a shot she takes the shot." Aria corrected him.

"Well I amended it a little bit. Sue me." He replied when he saw Laurel. "Hello, Laurel. Sorry, ADA Lance."

"Laurel's fine, Will. It's good to see you again and in such great shape. I figured with that building falling down on you you'd be a little more bedridden." Laurel pointed out.

"Well, I tend to heal pretty fast and an entire summer in recovery kind of helps. Plus it helps to have a doctor for a mom." Will explained but Laurel wasn't completely convinced with that answer. She saw him and noted he looked completely fine. No scars or any kind of walk with a limp or hitch in his movement which you would expect someone to have after having a building fall on them. She was quickly brought out of her staring when Will waved his hand in her face. "Uh…Laurel, are you ok?"

"Sorry, yeah it's just been a tough few days." She said.

"Oh, I know how that feels. And going through this didn't help at all either." Aria accused Will.

"Hey, sorry but now you're set and ready for any kind of guy who tries to attack you. I personally feel better knowing that my girlfriend and my best friends who are girls are prepared for anything. I have a thing against dirt bags hitting women…" Will said which made Laurel flashback to the night she attacked Rozak with the bat and Spider-man had to save her… he said the exact same thing and their voices matched. "…and now it'll be the women who do the hitting against the dirt bags."

"Cute. Come on. I need a good shower and something to eat." Aria said, dragging his arm and leaving the boxing gym.

"Bye, Laurel. See you tomorrow." Spencer bid her farewell and left with Emily while Laurel watched them leave. As she watched him leave, she remembered the night she met him when Deathstroke and his army laid siege to Starling City. He saved Sara from being trapped under a burning building only to get trapped himself and then lift the rubble off of him. The rubble had to weigh more than a ton and he was able to save himself and lift it off. Then at the precinct he saved her from one of the masked minions and then Deathstroke himself, someone Oliver had trouble with and the way he moved and fought…it was just like Spider-man.

"Spider-man's a college student?" Laurel questioned…not believing it but…it could be true. She needed to confirm her suspicions or if this was just her imagination and paranoia playing against her and she knew just the person who could help her.

Across town, Captain Lance walked out of the side emergency exit of the precinct into the alleyway to see four idiot robbers trussed up with steel cables on the ground. Lance just sighed before walking over and cuffing one of them.

 **"** **I found them trying to rob an armored car. I brought them over."** Lance heard so he looked up and saw the Arrow on the fire escape of the adjacent building.

"What, you want a medal for bringing them in?" Lance asked, before grabbing one of the robbers and bringing him over to the door. "Get the hell out of my sight."

" **Detective** …It's Captain now!" Lance shouted at him. "What? Did you think by bringing some dirt bags here that everything would be back to normal between the two of us? Are you really going to stand there on your high horse and pretend like you didn't know my daughter was dead for weeks?!"

 **"** **Detective, I'm sorry. Laurel told me not to say anything. She was worried about your heart."** Arrow told him.

"You had no right to keep that from me." Lance shot back. "You know, my whole career…my whole life, even when I knew nothing I knew at least right from wrong and I knew vigilantism was wrong. The day we take the law into our own hands is a day that we—we become outlaws. And that idea—that idea was precious to me. Almost as precious as my own daughters. I threw that all away the day I threw in with you. You know why? Because I trusted you even after everything you did and it nearly costed me my career, I felt like I could trust you and you could do the same…if only I knew how wrong I was. I see the man under the hood now. He lies, and he keeps secrets. All so he doesn't have to carry around the weight of his decisions and the lives he ruins. And I'm done with him. You come here again I'll arrest you."

Lance went back inside, dragging the criminals with him while Oliver felt the lowest he had ever felt since he put on the hood. He lost one of his best allies and it was his own fault. He returned to the bunker where Felicity, Diggle, and Roy were waiting and when they saw him walk in, they knew he was in a mood. Oliver put his bow in his case and put his quiver away before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and holding his forehead in sorrow.

"Oliver…what's wrong?" Felicity asked.

"I just got back from the SCPD and talked to Lance. He's not happy that the Arrow knew about Sara and didn't tell him." Oliver told her.

"What he'd say?" Dig asked.

"A small variation on go to hell." He replied.

"Oliver, he just needs some time." Felicity assured him.

"No, he was right. I lied to him…for weeks. I kept something from him and he had every right to know." Oliver said. "I trusted Laurel's decision with her father but we should have told him from the beginning and not have him find out from someone else. He trusted me and I betrayed that. I don't think we're gonna get it back. It's my fault."

"If he's this angry with you then I don't even want to know how angry he is with Laurel." Roy commented.

"I pretty sure their relationship is delegated back to business only." Oliver said.

"What I want to know is how Spider-man even knew about Sara." Dig told him.

"He was there when Laurel confronted Komodo and tried to kill him. He heard everything she said. That and when he tried to stop Merlyn must have been enough for him to piece it together and he went to Lance." Oliver explained.

"Why? Do you think he's trying to discredit you?" Roy asked.

"Lance said it was because Spider-man wanted to earn his trust." Oliver replied, pinching the bridge between his eyes in exhaustion and frustration. "I'm not sure what his game is and it's starting to get on my nerves."

"Well, I would think his intentions are pretty clear, he's a hero and he helps people. He's just like you, Oliver. Everything I've done in looking into this guy has shown nothing but stopping criminals and saving people. He's like you except he's able to go out during the day when we don't." Felicity told him. "I don't think he's a bad guy."

"And you might be right but that doesn't mean I'm ok with him still in my city." Oliver stated.

"Are you sure you're not just placing your anger at what's going on with Lance on Spider-man? I mean, he did help you stop Zytle, and then stopped Komodo along with helping Laurel before helping you fight Merlyn and Nyssa. I've even heard from my friends in the Glades about how much they love the guy because he deals with the gangs the police can't deal with. If anything, he's proven to be on our side." Roy told him.

"Maybe, Roy but he's also an unknown in the city, not to mention that the city's had to deal with Shocker and Vulture since he showed up." Oliver pointed out.

"Is that any different than when we had to deal with Helena or Slade Wilson?" Dig asked.

"And he probably knows who I am." Oliver told them which was a bit of a concern. "He was there when Laurel confronted Komodo and heard everything Merlyn said to me and Nyssa, he knows my name. You'll understand why I want to know who this guy is and ensures he's not going to blab to Lance about who the Arrow is and put us behind bars."

"That's a fair worry, Oliver but I don't have anything for you at the moment. All my old searches gave me nothing." Felicity told him. She brought up the failed searches she ran for months which included searching in police and federal databases along with searching traffic cameras all over the city but got nothing. "I can't do much with what we have and we have nothing."

"We have to have something." Dig assured her.

"No, I checked Dig, we have nothing. No fingerprints or DNA samples because of the suit, and the mask makes facial recognition impossible, no voice matches for anything in any database, and considering what he can do I'm not hopeful for a match as a criminal." Felicity explained.

"What about the night Helena took those hostages? That was Spider-man before he put on the stupid sweat shirt suit." Roy said, pointing to the screen shot Felicity had of an image of Spider-man in his early clunky sweatshirt and sweatpants combo.

"True but I've gone over every single photo, still frame, and live camera footage from that night and can't get a clean image of his face. And any partials aren't enough so I'm left with thousands of possible identities for this guy." Felicity explained. "I have never been this puzzled, confused, and annoyed in my entire life. Well, ok, maybe when I was in high school but that's a different story."

"What about his webbing? Surely you've done tests on that." Oliver suggested.

"I did from a sample you recovered but only for about an hour. It disintegrated after that but I did manage to analyze some of the chemicals in the webbing as Hydrogen Peroxide, carbine polymer acid, cycline acidic components and helium oxide. Ingredients that don't occur or exist in natural spider silk." she explained.

"So that means it's not actual spider webs he shoots out from his hands." Roy added.

"It's manmade, like from a lab?" Oliver asked.

"Definitely. From the chemicals I just listed it was definitely made in a lab and from the tests I've run on the webbing and the chemicals, it was designed to disintegrate after a few hours and the combination is very complex. This was made in a state of the art lab by a brilliant chemist." Felicity told him. "I tried to run down some potential leads but these chemicals are common enough in every lab across the country so we need to narrow down that list and I've already done that with another potential lead."

"And what's that?" Dig asked.

"It didn't occur to me until after my trip back from Central City to see Barry. Maybe our Spider-man might not be a regular vigilante like you but is actually just like Barry." She suggested and Oliver instantly knew what she was suggested.

"You think that Spider-man might be a meta-human." Oliver said and she nodded.

"Sorry, what's a meta-human?" Roy asked.

"When the Particle Accelerator exploded last year it released a ton of dark matter and quantum energy throughout the city and it affected certain people certain ways. Barry was one of them when he was struck by lightning and now has unique abilities. Given everything we've seen and eye witness reports say about Spider-man, he might one of them." Felicity explained. Oliver seemed to agree with her assessment as it made the most sense at the moment while Diggle and Roy were confused.

"But if Spider-man was in Central City when the Particle Accelerator exploded, why is he here?" Roy asked and they weren't sure on the answer when Felicity's phone went off from a call from Laurel.

"Hey, Laurel." Felicity answered, confused as to why she was calling.

 _"_ _Hey, Felicity I know this is an odd request but can you dig up everything you can on someone for me. I'm on my way to the bunker now and I'll get there by the time you've found everything."_ She said.

"Ok, what's the name?" Felicity asked.

 _"_ _Will Detmer, I'm think? He's a sophomore at Starling City University."_ Laurel said.

Felicity did a quick search and found him in the student directory. "I think I found him. Six feet tall, lean, black hair, and kind of cute?"

 _"_ _That's him. Find everything you can on him. I'm on my way."_ Laurel ended the call and Felicity got to searching.

"Why does Laurel want you do some search on this guy?" Roy asked.

"Could be for a case she's working on." Dig suggested as Felicity brought up information on Will Detmer and she didn't think that was the case.

"Well, if it is a case then this kid isn't a criminal. He's just a 20 year old Starling City University science major. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for but I haven't found a single piece of incriminating evidence against him." Felicity replied.

"Laurel will tell us why she's looking into this guy when she gets here." Oliver said. About twenty minutes later of Felicity searching for everything she could on Will Detmer, Laurel arrived in the Arrowcave. "Laurel."

"Hey, Oliver. I'm guessing by your scowl that you've talked to my dad?" Laurel asked and he nodded. "I'm sorry. You were right. I should have listened to you in the first place."

"We've both made mistakes, Laurel. We'll just have to learn with the consequences." Oliver told her. "It's gone back to how your father first felt about me when I started. All that work earning his trust is gone."

"Just give him some space, Oliver. He's really hurting but he still knows you protect the city." Laurel said to him.

"Laurel, I got everything I could on this kid but there's no criminal record or anything like that." Felicity told her.

"What about hospital records? Any incidents or red flags with him?" She asked and Felicity did a triple check but got nothing.

"None other than admittance to Starling General for a broken arm he got when he was 12. It seems pretty standard and he was treated by his mother. Must be nice to have a doctor for a mom. Makes things easier if anything." Felicity commented. "Laurel, I've run every search I could think of on this kid and he's squeaky clean, other than some mentions in his school records for academic excellence, he's completely normal."

"Laurel, what case are you working on?" Oliver asked.

"It's not a case but more of a hunch." She told them.

"Hunch about what?" Diggle asked as Laurel took a deep breath.

"I think that Will is Spider-man." She said. There was a minute of awkward silence as everyone looked at her weird and tried to process the idea.

"Of all the things she was going to say I was not expecting that." Felicity commented.

"You think that a 20 year old college student is secretly Spider-man?" Diggle asked.

"I know it sounds crazy—""Crazy, it sounds like the idea of a comic book." Roy said, cutting her off mid-sentence. "I'm sorry, Laurel but out of all the craziness we've been dealing with the idea that Spider-man is a college student just seems ridiculous."

"Laurel, where is this coming from? Something tells me that you didn't just come to this realization just overnight." Oliver added.

"Ok, I've actually met Will a few times now. He's the friend of one of my interns at the DA's office and he seems perfectly normal but I first met him the night of Slade Wilson's siege. Sara and I were heading to the precinct when we saw this building on fire and a mother's child was stuck inside. Just as we got there, Will and his friends did the same along with his mother and he ran inside to help Sara. He actually saved her when the building collapsed but it collapsed on him and he was trapped." Laurel explained, remembering that night like it was yesterday.

"He survived the building falling on him?" Felicity asked.

"It actually didn't fall right on him but pinned him to the ground. We tried to save him but it was too heavy and we couldn't risk moving the rubble or else he'd get squished. That's when he actually lifted the rubble off of him." Laurel said which took them all a moment to digest because of how insane it sounded.

"Lifted as in lifted off of him?" Roy asked.

"Yeah. All that burning and crumbled rubble must have weighed at least a ton if not more and he was able to lift it off and heave it behind him. I've heard of people lifting cars in extreme cases with adrenaline but lifting that much seems impossible." She explained.

"Lifting a ton worth of rubble sounds like Super strength to me." Oliver said. "Anything else?"

"After he lifted the rubble off him, we brought him, his friends, and his mom to the precinct when one of Slade's goons came. He took down dozens of my dad's officers but Will actually managed to kick him out of the precinct window and then Slade showed up. Believe it or not, Will actually fought Slade to a standstill and saved me and when he was fighting he moved and jumped around a lot like Spider-man." Laurel explained.

"Super agility and reflexes." Oliver said.

"Spider-man saved me from an attack as well and his voice sounded almost exactly like Will's. I know it sounds crazy but I think Will is Spider-man." Laurel told them and if what she told them was true then it turned from crazy idea to an actual possibility.

"Felicity, who is he?" Oliver asked as Felicity brought up everything she had on Will.

"Ok, William Alexander Detmer, born October 8th, 1994 and is a current Starling City University Sophomore with a double major in physics and engineering with a double minor in chemistry and biology. He is the current lab assistant to Dr. Curt Connors and on full scholarship to the science program. Mother is May Detmer, current chief of Radiology at Starling City General." Felicity told him.

"What about his father?" Oliver asked.

"Uh, deceased." Felicity brought up Richard Detmer's death certificate. "He was a special agent with the FBI assigned to a special taskforce that took down the Maggia Crime family in Starling city years ago. He died in the line of duty when Will was in middle school."

"I remember that. It was a huge deal. I mean, the FBI's work in taking down the Maggia was the biggest bust in years." Diggle added.

"He was killed in the line of duty and was buried with full honors." Felicity told them. "Can't imagine how hard that must have been for him but Will kept his nose clean. He focused mainly on his studies and it earned him a scholarship to attend Starling Academy which is impressive. Only families who can afford it can send their children there. Of course, Oliver already knows this considering Thea was there at the same time Will was. And based on his schedule and Thea's straight A's in all science related fields, I'm guessing she found someone to help her pass."

"That always did make me curious. Thea isn't the most gifted with the sciences so it was strange to see she had straight A's all four years." Oliver commented.

"Were they friends? Maybe Thea can tell us something." Laurel suggested.

"I've never heard her mention him at all when we were dating and I've met plenty of her friends." Roy told them.

"Something tells me they probably weren't friends outside of school." Felicity brought up an old yearbook photo of Will, full glasses and everything. "There are some disciplinary notes with Will mentioned in them."

"I thought you said he was squeaky clean?" Diggle asked.

"He is. The disciplinary notes weren't against him but in favor of him for multiple instances of fights, teasing, shoving in hallways and in lockers, and uh…head dunked into toilet." Felicity commented with a sigh of disgust. "It's always the bullies who go after the smart people."

"That couldn't have been fun." Oliver said.

"Please, like you never did that to anyone when you were growing up." She commented sarcastically."

Oliver shot her an offended look but Laurel shrugged her shoulders at him. He wasn't exactly a bully when they were younger but he and Tommy probably weren't…the nicest to other people in high school. Oliver was about to respond but decided to keep the conversation moving. "Anything else?" He asked.

"Um, multiple academic awards while he was at Starling Academy. Science fairs and things like that. Glowing recommendations from his teachers from all four years, perfect scores on his SATS and uh…wow." Felicity stopped when she came to an official test his high school did for him on recommendation from one of his teachers that measured his IQ and the test showed it to be _250._ "That is impressive. I take it back, this kid isn't normal."

"Is that his IQ?" Oliver asked and Felicity nodded.

"Yeah. One of his teachers recommended an official test of his IQ and it measured out at 250. That's insane." Felicity said. "That's super genius level IQ."

"You said he's chemistry minor, right? With that IQ, he could develop the webbing that Spider-man's been using." Oliver suggested.

"Yeah, it's possible. And SCU's chemistry lab would have what he would need to make it." Felicity replied.

"If this kid is a super genius then why is he at SCU? I find it hard to believe that a super genius with his grades and scores would stay in Starling for college." Dig pointed out.

"It says here he was offered a full ride to MIT for college but…he turned it down." Felicity told them. "He wanted to stay in Starling to stay closer to his mother. Oh….that's really sweet."

"Ok, he's smart enough to create the webbing that Spider-man uses but I'm still having some trouble getting my head around the idea that a genius gifted science student is Spider-man." Diggle pointed out.

"If Felicity's point that Spider-man is a meta-human from Central City then it could explain why he's able to do what he can do." Oliver suggested.

"What's a meta-human?" Laurel asked.

"It's a long story but I think I found some proof. I checked his schedule and he was placed in an advance physic class during his fall semester his freshmen year. It's a highly advance class reserved for juniors or seniors unless you have a recommendation, pass a test and write a report but he got in." Felicity showed them.

"All that for one class? Hardly seems worth the effort." Roy commented.

"Anyhow, the class's professor scheduled a field trip before the end of the semester to Central City for the unveiling of the STAR labs particle accelerator and based on credit card statements and school records he was there the night it went off." Felicity said.

"So, what? He showed up for the Particle Accelerator explosion and somehow got super strength and the ability to crawl on the walls like a spider?" Diggle asked.

"We're probably missing some details but most likely. And then there's this." Felicity brought up a Facebook photo taken of Will November 28th, 2013. "This is a photo of Will with his friends on November 28th, 2013."

Everyone looked at the photo and it showed Will with two girls tagged as Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields. The three were standing outside in thick cold weather clothing and posing for a picture in the city. They got a good look at Will and saw the 5ft9, short haired, glasses wearing science nerd. "Will looks nothing like that." Laurel told her.

"Maybe because he looks like this. This is a photo taken December 20th, 2013. Just a few weeks later." Felicity brought up the next picture which was of Will with Aria and Emily just before the girls left for holiday break. This time, Will was wearing some new clothes, seemed to have grown a few inches, filled out his clothes more and had no glasses. "Now, I'm no health expert but it looks like to me that he seemed to grow a few inches along with some muscles."

"Something that a little Particle Accelerator mutation might have helped with." Roy commented.

"I'll be right back." Oliver walked over to his display case and grabbed his bow.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?" Felicity shot up and got in front of him to stop him from leaving.

"To talk to him." Oliver told her.

"Talk as in a friendly chat or talk as in threaten him with an arrow?" Felicity asked.

"Felicity, I just want to talk to him." Oliver assured her.

"I'd actually believe you if you weren't taking your bow with you but Oliver what are you actually planning to say when you find him?" She asked.

"She's right, Oliver. You can't just march onto the campus wearing that Hood. And if Will is Spider-man, starting a fight there might not be a good idea." Diggle told him.

"And if you're right and he knows who you really are then threatening him with his identity won't help." Roy added and Oliver finally saw reason.

"You're right." Oliver said. "Ok, for now we just gather up any more intel on him we can. Dig, do you think you can scope out the campus for him? I want to make sure we're a hundred percent right before we talk to him."

"I can do that but Oliver, like we've mentioned before, if this kid really is Spider-man then he's not like Slade or Helena. He's a good kid trying to do the right thing." Diggle told him.

"He also a kid who is way in over his head. He doesn't understand how complicated things are. I want to talk to him." Oliver said.

"And say what? Stop doing your Spider-man thing or I'll put an arrow in you?" Laurel asked as Oliver gave her a look. "Oliver, Will's helped me three times now and probably dozens of other people in this city. Despite him telling my dad the truth and putting our relationship into state it is now, why are you trying to stop him from doing the exact same thing you and everyone here is doing?"

"Just get what you can on him." Oliver told them, not replying to the question and heading out of the bunker.

"Where are you going?" Diggle asked.

"To clear my head." He replied. You did not want to be a criminal that night.

Line Break xxxxx

The next morning, four groups of people were getting in some early morning combat training before they started the day. Oliver and Roy were sparring in the bunker, Laurel and Ted were boxing at his gym, Thea and her father Merlyn were sword training at a special hidden place while Will was doing some special training of his own. Oliver and Roy were sparring with escrima sticks like they normally would when Oliver noticed Roy was a bit sluggish today.

He parried an attack and threw down a strike that Roy managed to block only to get tagged on the side and then on the knee. Roy raised his stick and managed to block a strike before he got hit in the face. "You're not moving very quickly this morning."

"I just didn't sleep much last night." Roy replied only to duck under an attack but get his feet knocked out from under him.

Laurel and Ted were boxing in the ring but it was more like Laurel was swinging to get out her aggression and everything wrong with her life. "You're not boxing, Laurel. You're not even fighting. You're just lashing out. Come on." Ted told her only for Laurel to continue her assault.

Thea and Merlyn were training with swords at his special hidden training area. Block, strike, block, parry, dodge and repeat. Thea swung her sword at his neck which resulted in her and her father ending in a draw. "Impressive." He said.

"How do normal people spend their morning?" Thea asked.

Will was in gymnastics gym early in the morning to get some training in. He locked all the doors and covered up windows before he began vaulting, flipping, and jumping off the equipment with a blindfold around his eyes. This was training his spider sense. He vaulted over a block and flipped through the air before landing in a crouch and moving into a spinning windmill, pretending to kick and lash out at pretend bad guys. He spun back to his feet to throw out punches, knees, elbows, a spin kick, a TD raiz kick, a butterfly kick into a corkscrew spin kick before doing a triple backflip into a crouch. While he flipped and pretend fought, nerf guns hooked up to timers trigged and fired at him which triggered his spider sense so he flipped, dodged, and avoided them with the grace of Spider-man before landing in his signature spider crouch. He took off his blindfold and relaxed before quickly catching a dart that would have hit him in the back of the head.

"I'm getting really good at that. A nice start to my day. Now, for breakfast." Will picked up the darts and cleaned up before heading to the dining hall to get some food.

Across the city, Felicity Smoak was doing her own early morning workout which consisted of her in her pajamas doing sit ups on a yoga mat with a workout video being played on the TV. "F-four…. f-five!" Felicity pulled her set up for her fifth pushup before falling on her back and fist bumping in celebration. She got up and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth when she got a knock on her front door. She groaned and walked over to answer it while brushing her teeth. "Mrs. Fernands, I've already told you I haven't seen your caAAt…"

She opened the door only to see her boss, Ray Palmer there in his business suit. "I haven't seen him either." He said before walking in. "Or is the cat a girl? Was I just being misogynist now or is it misogynistic? I never know."

"Ray…what are you—" "Nice place you got here. Lots of space." Ray said. "So it occurred to me this morning: what's the one thing that Queen Consolidated has that we don't use to our maximum potential?"

"A doorbell?" Felicity asked.

"Have you heard of a process called Cogeneration?" He asked only for Felicity to give him a look.

"I have even looked at a cup of coffee." She walked over to the sink to spit out her toothpaste, rinse her mouth and get some coffee.

"Well, Cogeneration is—" "The repurposing of waste heat given off by energy production." Felicity finished his sentence.

"Yeah, it's a principle of thermodynamic efficiency. Which occurred to me could be applied to a building which generates over 240,000 watts of electricity like Queen Consolidated." Ray said, pulling out a small napkin with some scientific equations written on it. "I did some preliminary calculations on the ride over."

"You want to sell QC's excess energy back to the city." Felicity said.

"If by sell you mean give away for free, yes. Energy is something that should be given freely to the masses." Ray told her when there was another knock on her door. "I'm guessing you haven't found Mrs. Fernands' cat?"

Felicity rolled her eyes before answering her door and to her shock and utter horror it was her mother. "AAAAHH!/Aaaaahh!" Donna Smoak shouted in glee while Felicity shouted in horror.

"Very friendly with your neighbors I see." Ray commented.

"Mom!" Felicity shouted.

"Mom?" Ray asked. Let's just say that Felicity's morning was not getting off to a good start.

Will walked out of the history building with Emily, having just finished class. The two were heading over to the Starbucks on campus to get a drink. "So, when is Maya coming here?" He asked.

"She'll be here tomorrow which reminds me are you sure it's ok that she can stay with your mom? If not, we can work something else out." Emily said but Will stopped her.

"Emily, relax. My mom is more than happy to have Maya stay with her while she's here in Starling. She's been looking forward to it for days. She even bought new sheets and towels. If anything, I'm a little offended. She had me bring the old sheets and towels from my house to save money but my mom is more than willing to go out and buy new and fresh ones for Maya." Will joked.

"Well, maybe she likes me more. After all, she did say I was like the daughter she always wanted." Emily told him only for Will to grab her from behind and spin her around. "Will, put me down!"

Will gave her one more quick spin before he did which made her hair get all messed up. "You're lucky I love you so much. One little venom shock and you'd be skipping around the quad like you were on fire." Will jokingly warned her.

"Then it's a good thing we're best friends." Emily told him.

"Yeah. But I'll get my revenge. I can't wait for Maya to get here and the tough, teasing Emily will be turned into the cute, shy girlfriend. I'll have plenty of ammunition to toss back at you." Will said with a smirk on his face while Emily was a bit worried.

"Oh, don't you go there because you know I can dish it out as good as I take it." She told him. "Besides, if anyone is really going to change it's going to be Spencer when Toby gets here on Friday for the Costume party."

"Right. Ah, even better. It's funny how different she gets when she talks about him. The tough, OCD, scary Spencer just washes away. Don't tell her I said she was scary by the way. She hates it." Will told her.

"No promises." Emily replied as they arrived at the Starbucks. They placed an order for their drinks when Will's spider-sense began to tingle. It wasn't that there was immediate danger to him or Emily but something was going on. Emily grabbed her drink when she noticed he went a little rigid and serious. "Will, what's wrong?"

 _"_ _My spider-sense is going off. I think someone's watching me."_ He whispered as he grabbed his coffee cup. The two walked over to the counter to grab sugar and milk to add to their drinks. " _Emily, do a quick glance around the shop and see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary."_

She did a subtle nod before pouring in some coffee mate to her drink and glanced around the room. Will added in some sugar and stirred it in his coffee before handing her some. She finished looking around the room and spotted a tall black guy in the far corner of the shop reading the paper but glancing up at them every few seconds and she didn't recognize him. _"I think I found it. Black guy in the far corner. He keeps glancing up at you_." Emily whispered as she poured in some sugar and stirred it in.

 _"_ _Give me a quick hug."_ He whispered and she did. Will hugged her and got a glimpse at the guy she spoke about and Will recognized him from his research on Sara Lance and Oliver Queen. It was John Diggle, Oliver's personal bodyguard. _"Right, I got it. Come on."_

The two left the Starbucks with their drinks and Diggle folded up his paper and discreetly followed him. Emily took out a small compact mirror to check her makeup but was actually looking behind her and saw the guy following them. _"He's following us."_ Emily whispered.

 _"_ _All right, he's probably here for me. I'll deal with it. Find Spencer and Aria head to my room. And keep your tracking bracelets ready. Give me a hug."_ Will said as Emily gave him one. "I'll see you later, Emily."

"Bye, Will." She bid him goodbye. Will walked through the quad seemingly on the way to another class but he just needed to get someplace where he could slip away and do some snooping off his own.

Will moved through the quad when his spider-sense went off again but knowing what it was he didn't react and got nailed in the back of the head with a football. "OUFF!" He hit the pavement hard and everyone in the quad laughed. _"I'm getting so sick of this."_

"Keep your head on a swivel, Detmer!" Flash shouted as his entourage laughed. "Sad part is that's probably the closest you've ever come to playing sports, Detmer!"

Diggle took out his phone, pretending to check his messages and watched the interaction. Based on all the information they could find it was more than likely that this kid was Spider-man but honestly watching the scene before him you wouldn't be dismissed in thinking that this kid was just a regular college student. Unfortunately, bullies were everywhere in life, even in college.

"Ha-ha, so funny Flash." Will said as Flash and his squad pushed past him and knocked him onto his ass. He grumbled in annoyance before standing up and patting the dirt and grass off his jeans. "God, how has that asshole not flunked out yet?"

He grabbed his backpack and walked into the science building, seemingly to head to work with Dr. Connors. Diggle saw him head inside a building and knew that he couldn't follow without drawing needless attention. Diggle's phone went off with an alert from Lyla that their babysitter for Sara called in sick so he needed to pick her up. He left for the parking lot but unknown to him, Will had slipped out a window and now was spying on him. He quickly jumped from the window and landed on the roof, using his enhanced ranged vision to keep track of Diggle from afar. He saw him get into a car so he reached into his backpack in the spot where he kept his Spider-man gear and took out a spider tracer. He synched it up to the tracking program on his phone before throwing it at the van Diggle got in. The tracer landed on the roof and stuck there just as he drove away. He checked the tracking program on his phone and the signal was good.

"All right, Oliver. You do some snooping on me, I'll snoop back." He said to himself.

Will made his way to his dorm room where Aria, Emily, and Spencer were sitting around. "Oh, thank god." Aria got up and hugged him and he hugged back, kissing her on the head.

"Hey, I'm ok. I asked Emily to bring you two here as a precaution." Will assured her.

"What precaution?" Spencer asked.

"Will was being followed today. His spider-sense went off when we were in the Starbucks and some guy was following us." Emily told them.

"Who?" Aria asked.

"John Diggle. He's Oliver Queen's Personal bodyguard. I recognize him from when I did my research into Sara after Laurel's confrontation with Komodo. He was following me after we left the shop and after, most likely on order from Oliver Queen." Will told them.

"Why would Oliver Queen have his bodyguard follow you?" Spencer asked, confused about the whole thing.

"Because Oliver Queen is the Arrow." Will told them, letting that sink in for a bit. "Yeah, Oliver Queen is the Arrow. Honestly it's not that hard for someone to piece it together considering when he gets back from his five years away the Arrow starts to show up. Wasn't that hard to make the connection. Not to mention I might have heard people call him Oliver when he's in the hood. He probably has his suspicions on who I really am and had his bodyguard tail me to figure out what he can."

"Will, you don't sound all that concerned that your identity is compromised." Aria told him.

"No, I am but I've made some contingencies if something like this should happen. My mom has medical records set up with old samples of my blood should he try steal a copy for evidence or to prove what happened to me. Plus, everything here is encrypted and I've got a security camera by the door and window which I made from the Smythe Drone that was following me should he think of breaking-in. And if thinks he can expose my identity, it'll be the word of a vigilante against mine which won't exactly work in court and I'll expose him as well. He's got no one while I've still got Yuri and despite everything she trusts me. I know she'll help if something happens. Don't worry, it won't come to that."

"What makes you so sure it won't?" Spencer asked.

"Because I've got a spider tracer tracking down Diggle as we speak. Time to do a little snooping of my own. Don't worry, I promised myself that my life as Spider-man won't do anything to hurt any of you and I meant it. If Oliver Queen thinks he can screw with my life then he's got himself a world of hurt coming his way." Will told them, grabbing the Palmer tech tablet off his desk. After Spencer got it for him for his birthday, he spent his free time doing some spider upgrades to it. "I'll be back later. Hit your tracking bracelets if something goes wrong."

Will bid them goodbye but grabbed his camera before he left. "Whew, is it me or is the alpha-male tough Will kind of hot?" Aria asked while Emily and Spencer shared an amused look.

He quickly got changed while making sure no one and no camera could see him before heading into the city. He was web swinging through the city with his backpack strapped tight. One hand was busy shooting webs so he could swing while the other had his phone out so he could keep watch over the spider tracer he placed on the car and it seemed to be heading towards someplace in the Glades. He swung around a corner before flipping in the air and firing another web. He kept watch over the signal as he swung down low and was closing in on a bus so he pulled up, tossed his phone into the air and flipped off the roof before grabbing his phone and swinging away.

He made his way into the Glades by some of the old Queen Industries buildings and stopped on the roof of a building across from Verdant. "Verdant? That stupid club is where Oliver Queen has his Arrow gear set up? That…is actually a brilliant idea." He admitted to himself. "Guess those five years away made him as sharp as his arrows. Ha-ha, oh, I'm funny."

He took out the camera from his backpack and took a few surveillance pictures when he saw Oliver walk out the secret side entrance. He snapped a few photos and smiled under his mask. "How's it feel to be on the other side of the snooping, Oliver?" he asked, taking a few more photos when he realized something. "And I just realized he can't hear me."

He snapped a few more photos when he heard some police sirens in the distance. "It never ends does it?" He took off his backpack and webbed it to the roof to collect later before swinging away.

Two SCPD police cruisers were in a high-speed chase with an SUV. Two idiot criminals were handing out the back windows and shooting at the cops who were swerving and doing their best to not get shot.

"Ha-ha, take that you pigs! Come on! I got more bullets for all of—YA!" He was suddenly yanked out of the car and webbed to a street post.

"What happened to him?!" The driver shouted.

"It's Spider-man! Floor it!" The other shooter shouted only to get yanked out as well and tied to a fire hydrant.

"I'm not going back to jail!" the passenger shouted when they heard some thumping on the roof and Spider-man land on the hood of the car.

"Well, you could get away Scott free but we both know that's not going to happen." Spider-man told them before punching a hole through the windshield and dropping a web bomb in the front seat. "I'd try to get comfortable quickly because you won't be moving for long!"

He quickly vaulted to the roof as the web bomb went off and tied up the driver and passenger. "What the hell is this crap?!" The driver shouted as he and his friend were stuck to their seats.

"A little webbing of my own design. Don't worry, trademark pending. Now, time to stop this crazy ride." He flipped off and fired four web lines at the SUV before landing on the street. He pulled as hard as he could and used his sticky powers to try and keep from moving in order to force the car to a stop. The back tires began to smoke from the pressure but the SUV was eventually force to a stop. "Whew, that is a heavy car. Good thing I'm wearing tough sneakers. Though I'll smell like burnt rubber for a while."

Nearby pedestrians began cheering and taking photos of him and he waved back when the two SCPD cards arrived. The cops got out with their guns ready when they saw the car stopped and the goons all webbed up. "No, thank you. Thank you. Please, hold your applause. You've all been a wonderful audience." He told them before looking at the cops. "Don't worry, boys in blue. You've got the bad guys all wrapped up nicely for you."

"We had that, Spider-man." One of the officers told him.

"I know but no one man is an army and getting them to stop sooner would have stopped some needless destruction." Spider-man replied when his spider-sense went off again. "Oh, crap."

Two large SUVs peeled out onto the street and 12 guys guy out, all of them armed with weaons. "Oh, that's not good. You guys might want to take cover." Spider-man said before web zipping into the air. The cops took cover behind the cars while the civilians in the area ran when the gangbangers opened fire.

"DIE, COPPERS!" One of them shouted onto to get hit by impact webbing which webbed to the side of the car.

"Seriously, die coppers? What, you couldn't think of anything original?" Spider-man asked before he quickly spun through the air to avoid some bullets. He web zipped to the wall and ran alongside it before vaulting off and doing a triple twist. One of the thugs was unfortunate to get a sneaker to the face and fell on his ass before having his stomach used as a spring board. Two other goons got hit in the face with hard punches before being webbed together and hurled into the others. Spider-man quickly dodged with flips and spins before firing a venom shock at three of them causing their muscles to seize up.

"Die, webhead!" another gangbanger shouted, firing his shotgun but missed as Spider-man flipped into the air.

"Ok, now we're getting a little better. Not original but beggars can't be choosers." He quipped. The gangbangers focused their attention on Spider-man but he was too quick for them to shoot or get a decent sight on. One was unfortunate enough to get his feet webbed and pulled into the air.

"AAAHH!" He shouted in fear before Spider-man grabbed him by the back and threw him into the side of the building and stuck him there with impact webbing. He spun through the air and landed a corkscrew spin kick to one of the goons.

 **[CRASH-GLASS SHATTER]** The goon flew through the air and smacked into the SUV, denting the metal and breaking the glass. Several goons fell to the ground and were webbed there while another got a kick to the face and was knocked onto his back. A well placed web snagged some of their guns and tossed them aside before a series of punches, kicks, and elbows resulted in various screams of pain, anguish and the occasional pants wetting terror. One beep of a web bomb later and all the bad guys were webbed up and dealt with.

"Live by the beat down, die by the beat down. Or more accurately, get the snot kicked out of you by the beat down." He quipped as the officers got out of cover and checked on what happened. "Still think I shouldn't have helped?"

"Yeah-yeah, no one likes and I told you so." The officer replied causing Spider-man to chuckle.

"Glad to know the boys in blue have a sense of humor. Catch you later, guys!" Spider-man web zipped away as nearby pedestrians took pictures and cheered his name.

He flipped through the air before landing on a flap pole, spinning around it a few times for good measure before flipping high into the air. He web swung through the air and landed in a crouch on the roof of a building. He looked down at the police who were handling the goons he just beat the crap out of and smiled. It was nice that only half of the police officers he ran into either wanted to shoot him or curse him out. Guess he was making some headway but there was one person he needed to talk to now.

Captain Lance finished getting a cup of coffee before heading back to his office to do some paperwork. Honestly, he didn't want to even be in the precinct but he had to work. He sat down at his desk, typing away at his computer but his gaze lingered on the bottom drawer of his desk…where he used to keep a bottle of whiskey and where a new one was waiting for him. There was a part of him that was ready for a drink after what he's been through.

 **[Knock-Knock]** Lance turned after hearing the knock on his window and saw a note webbed there with the words, _Let's talk, meet me on the roof._

 **"** **[Sighs]** This is the last thing I need right now." Lance said to himself, loading his gun and heading up to the roof. He walked onto the roof with a disgruntled huff, wanting to be anywhere else but here.

"You know, disgruntled huffs are tell-tale signs of exhaustion and or anger." He heard as Spider-man landed on the roof railing in a crouch. "I just hope I'm tied with the exhaustion part and not the anger one."

"Give it a few days, maybe it'll catch up to you." Lance told him.

"I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did but at least you know." Spider-man said to him. "When my dad died, I had the same reaction you probably had as well. Denial before the ultimate realization of truth."

"Honestly, I'd rather be back in the denial stage." Lance said, letting out a huge exhale of exhaustion and stress before leaning against the railing.

"You and probably half of the city would like to do the same. It's easier that way." Spider-man replied. "But my dad used to tell me that denial is just a river in Africa. No matter how much we swim, nothing we do can change what happened. It's up to us to figure out the way that river flows. Away from something or towards something."

"Your father must have been a pretty wise old man." Lance commented.

"Yeah, he was." He replied with fondness. "I know I'm probably one of the last people you want to meet but given my own experience with grief…it helps to have someone there who knows what you're going through."

"How could you possibly know what I'm going through?" Lance asked.

"Just because I wear this mask doesn't mean I didn't have a life before all this. A semblance of normal. I've lost my dad when I was just a kid and it's one of the worse things you can possibly go through. If anyone knows what you're experiencing, I'm one of them." He said. "Now, I know it's not the same as losing a daughter but grief and loss are things I'm familiar with. It makes you feel like your whole world is falling apart and if anything…you'd give anything to have them back even if for a minute."

"I would give up everything just so my little girl could be back." Lance said. "My job has always been to protect my baby girls and now one of them is dead and the other kept that a secret from me for weeks all because she was worried about my heart."

"We've all made mistakes because we think we're trying to protect the people we care about. Can you say for certain that you've never done something similar to protect her?" He asked only for Lance to give him a look. "We do crazy things for the people we care about. Take me for example: I wear a mask, swing from buildings and kick the snot out of bad guys while making funny jokes. I do that to keep the people I care about safe and that include this city."

"So, what? You and the Arrow just take it upon yourself to wear masks and break the law?" Lance asked.

"I like to think of it as doing my lawful job as a citizen of Starling city to keep it safe." He replied. "Besides, isn't that was drew you to be a police officer?"

"Yeah, but what I do is obey the law, not break it." Lance told him.

"Sometimes to put something back together you need to break it so it can reform. You and the SCPD do great work and all I want to do is help. There are things that I can do that you can't. Ethics and legal ramifications aside, I've brought down a lot of bad people and stopped them from doing a lot of bad things by breaking the law and being a hero." He replied. "To quote the words of my old friend Stan, _that person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero._ Whether that person wears a mask or not and with the bad guys I've pissed off…wearing the mask doesn't just protect me but the people I care about. But…I'm willing to remove the mask to people I can trust…or who want mine."

Before any of them could say another word several electrical explosions went off in the distance. Lamp posts short circuited, buildings went completely dark and pretty much everything that drew power from the city was shut off.

"Oh, man that's not good." Spider-man said.

"A city wide blackout." Lance said, taking out his phone to contact all off-duty officers.

"Stay close to your phone or Yuri, Captain Lance. Something tells me we'll be busy tonight!" He leapt off the roof and began swinging through the city while Lance rushed back downstairs. He saw a car swerve into a fire hydrant and crash into an electrical pole causing a nearby electrical transformer to spark and crackle. A woman backed up into the street to avoid the sparks but a car was heading right towards her only for Spider-man to swing down, grab her and flip over the car. He saved her and saved the driver from the impact. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, Spider-man." She said and he nodded.

"Don't mention it. Head inside. All of you, head inside where it's safe!" he shouted and many of the civilians ran away. He turned around to swing away when he saw Oliver Queen standing on the sidewalk. A part of him was tempted to web his mouth shut but that was put in the back of his mind when something weird happened with the nearby electronics store. "Oh, man that's really not good."

He jumped onto a nearby pole and watched as the television monitors blipped on and began showing some weird image that looked a lot like some kind of eye. Everyone gathered around to see what was going on. **"We are Brother Eye. Judgement has been rendered against this city, a sentence carried out. An earthquake, a siege. This is what comes next—a new life you will live on your knees and it will take nothing more than a push of a button. We are in control now and this is all just the beginning. Let there be light."**

All the lights and power turned back on like nothing was wrong. "It just got a whole lot worse."

Line Break xxxxx

Will made his way back to Verdant to get his backpack because it would have some things he need. He began swinging back to the SCPD when his phone went off with a call so he tapped his earbud. "Yeah?" He shouted, swinging through the air.

 _"_ _Spider-man, I take it you're aware of this Brother Eye thing?"_ Yuri asked.

"That would be a yes. I'm on my way now to dig up a lead. I'll let you and Captain Lance know if I find anything. I think we're on a talking, not arresting basis. At least for tonight." He told her.

 _"_ _Right. Keep an eye out and I'll do the same here. I'll let you know if anything comes up."_ Yuri told him.

"Please do, Yuri. With the blackout and the threats this Brother Eye group made, something tells me this city is going to turn into a powder keg." He said before hanging up. He pressed his earpiece again and dialed Aria's number. "Aria, it's me. Are you ok?"

 _"_ _Yeah, I'm fine. We were at the dining hall when the blackout happened. We're ok and no one was hurt. What about you?"_ She asked.

"I'm all right but I'm about to get a lot busier. Listen, you, Emily, and Spencer head to my dorm room and stay there until I get back. With this Brother Eye group out there it's going to be the safest place on campus. And I'll need your help to find them." He said.

 _"_ _Ok, Emily and I will head there but Spencer was at the DA's office for her internship."_ Aria told him.

"All right. I'll call her. She'll be safe there for the time being. The police will protect all the city's official buildings. I'll call you in a bit." He told her.

 _"_ _Stay safe, ok."_ She told him.

"I will, Aria." He hung up before dialing Spencer's number, unaware that she was actually with Laurel at the SCPD.

Laurel walked into the SCPD to see it was busy with activity. Spencer was with her, having been helping her with paperwork when the blackout occurred and the emergency services call went out. Laurel brought her along in case she needed someone to help her.

"Dad!" Laurel shouted as Lance saw his daughter and her intern walk in.

"Laurel, are you ok?" He asked. His relationship with his daughter may be relegated back to just business but he was still concerned for her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was close. But why did I get the emergency services alert? Why didn't they call the District Attorney?" She asked.

"Because he's visiting his niece in Coast City. As of right now, you are the acting District Attorney." He told her before getting back to work.

"Right. Spencer, let's get to work. I want you manning the phone calls and emails from the city services. Anything important comes to me." Laurel told her as they got to work. Spencer sat down at a desk when her phone went off from a call from Will.

"Will?" Spencer answered.

 _"_ _Spencer, it's me. Are you all right?"_ He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm with Laurel, right now. We got called in to the police station. The DA's out of town so she's acting DA right now. I'm going to help her as best I can. Something tells me it's going to get crazy here." Spencer said.

 _"_ _Yeah, you have no idea. All right, stay there. Being in the police station is probably the safest place in the city. I'll let you know if I find something."_ He told her.

"Right. Be careful." She said before hanging up.

Will was actually at the SCPD right now, or more accurately hanging from the radar tower installation on the roof. He opened up a console on the radar dish and inserted a USB cable, connecting it to the Palmer Tech Tablet Spencer got him. Connecting it would allow him to mirror the access the police had and monitor what was going on with the City's electrical and computer network. He wasn't a hacker but he knew a thing or two about computers…enough at least so he could help. He entered in a few commands and got access to the network before contacting Aria.

"Aria, it's me. Are you in my dorm room yet?" He asked.

 _"_ _Yeah, Emily and I just got here."_ She told him.

"All right, get to my laptop and open up the mirror-Alice program. It should be the one in the upper right hand corner." He instructed. Aria did as she was told and was met with a command prompt. "Enter Spider-network-Proxy-Zero-Zero-one."

Aria entered the words and pressed enter. The screen then showed a complex electrical network and system overview. " _Whoa, Will what is this?"_ Emily asked.

"The mirror-Alice program is something I managed to make. It connects to the Palmer Tech Tablet as a sort of screen-mirroring program but more extensive. I've got my tablet hooked up to the SCPD's connection to the city's computer network. The only thing that could simultaneously take down the city's entire power grid and infect all wifi enable televisions with that message is a computer virus. They would have needed to infect the city's network in order to do that." He explained.

 _"_ _But everything looks fine, I think. I don't read computers like you do."_ Aria told him.

"Yeah, the virus must have erased itself the second the power came back on. But when it comes back, I'll be ready and my laptop will be able to analyze it. Keep me informed if something happens. The city's about to get a lot crazier." He said.

 _"_ _We will but be careful."_ Emily told him before hanging up. He then called Yuri.

Yuri was at her desk, coordinating with other officers on this whole Brother Eye thing when she got a call from a blocked number. "Spider-man." Yuri answered.

 _"_ _Yuri, it's me. Where's Captain Lance? I've got an update."_ He said as Yuri walked into Captain Lance's office. She locked the door and closed the blinds before putting the phone on speaker.

"We're here and you're on speaker." She told him.

"What did you find?" Lance asked.

 _"_ _Whoever this hacker group is infected the city's electrical network with a computer virus and it's powerful in order to break through the firewalls in place. At the moment, it's deleted itself from the city system but I've got a tracer program up and running so the second it comes back up I'll be ready."_ Spider-man said.

"Ok, what can we do to help?" Yuri asked.

 _"_ _Right now, just help keep the city from tearing itself a part. But we could start somewhere and find this group's staging ground. To pull off this kind of hack, you would need a seriously strong computer along with a lot of power to keep it running. Not to mention this group would likely want to be hidden so they didn't draw any attention. Yuri, we've had luck tracking down the Big Man's fronts and businesses so maybe we can do the same."_ He suggested.

"Yeah, but we don't have enough information like we do with the Big Man. It'll be like finding a needle in a haystack." Yuri replied.

 _"_ _But we know what we're not looking for. Check out the industrial areas or the abandoned warehouses in the outskirts of the city. The emptier the better. If I've learned anything the past six months in fighting bad guys is that they love their abandoned warehouses. Find any warehouse that's drawing an abnormal amount of power. That could narrow it down enough for us to find these guys."_ Spider-man told them. _"I'll help keep the city from falling apart and once my program finds more information I'll let you know."_

Spider-man hung up and Yuri put her phone away. "Watanabe, get the city electrical records for the past week and find what you can. Coordinate any spare patrol officers we can to do sweeps of the outskirts of the city." Lance ordered.

"I'm on it." Yuri left to get to work. Lance looked at all his people working and hoped that they could fight this but he only knew one person who was good with computers. He hated himself but the city was in danger and it would only be for this one thing.

Felicity was with Roy, Oliver, and Diggle in the bunker having gathered together to figure out what they could do to fight this. "Whoever this Brother Eye group is somehow got access to the city's protected network and uploaded a system-wide virus." Felicity explained.

"Is there any way to trace it?" Oliver asked.

"No, it deleted itself as soon as it completed its task." She told him.

"They said the power outage was just the beginning." Diggle said.

"Then let's find them before there's a next time." Oliver told them when Felicity got a call on her phone and it was the last person she was expecting.

"Captain?" Felicity answered and Oliver, Roy, and Diggle were shocked it was him.

 _"_ _Look, I'd rather be throwing your hooded friend in a cell right now and arresting you for helping him but I've got bigger things to worry about. Are you on this Brother Eye thing?"_ Lance asked.

"We are." She told him.

 _"_ _Good because there's no one here who knows computers better than you. Find them."_ Lance said before hanging up.

"I think that's progress." She said, figuring out new ways to track down Brother Eye. Back in the city, calling it tense would be an understatement. With the threat of the Brother Eye group out there any idiot who wanted to commit a crime began causing trouble which got the police busy and sent the city into a bit of a panic. One such situation was a group of six idiots who were robbing an electronics store.

"Come on, hurry up! Get everything in the truck!" One of them shouted as three guys loaded everything they could into an SUV.

"Incoming!" They heard when a barrage of web bullets rained down on them. Those that were fast enough took cover while the unlucky ones got hit hard in the face or body. "WOO!"

Spider-man flew down and sent one of the goons flying with a drop kick before back flipping onto another guy's shoulders to do a head-scissor takedown. Two of the robbers pulled out guns only for webs to yank them away. One of the robbers was yanked forward only to bonk his head on a fire hydrant while the other got a fist to the face.

"SHOOT HIM!" The last two goons standing fired their guns but they couldn't hit anything as their bullets just whizzed in the air and Spider-man easily vanished in the chaos. "Where'd he go?!"

"I don't know man! Let's get out of here!" One of them rushed to the SUV only for a glob of impact webbing to trap him against the car.

"Where are you?!" The robber was panicking, having just seen all his friends get taken out and was left alone. He felt someone tap him on his shoulder and turned only to get a knuckle sandwich to the face.

He plopped onto the ground like a sack of potatoes and Spider-man looked around at all the bad guys with a grin. "You know guys if you worked this hard at an actual job as you did in being criminals then this wouldn't have happened." He quickly got to work and tied up all the bad guys. "Have fun at Iron Heights. Say hello to all the bad guys I've arrested. You've joined a very exclusive club."

He super jumped into the air and began swinging away. "HELP ME!" He heard and began making his way over there.

A couple was running away as fast as they could down an alley while two idiots chased after them. The husband ran as fast as he could with his wife down the alley to escape from the guys chasing them until they came to a dead end.

"Oops, so close. If you had made it down Adams you would have been fine." One of the goons said as he and his friend cornered the couple. "Now, you two are all ours."

"Please, don't do this." The husband begged as the two idiots pulled out knives.

"I think we should take a fair amount of blood before we get what we want." The other goon taunted as the two stalked towards the couple.

"HELP US!" The wife shouted.

"Did someone call my name?!" Spider-man web zipped forward and nailed one of the goons with a flying kick to the face that definitely knocked out some teeth. "Good old fashioned hold-up. Vintage crime fighting right there. Shall we get started?"

The other idiot charged forward with his knife and was hellbent on killing Spider-man. If only he knew how wrong he was. **[Slash-slash-swipe-slash-swipe-stab-Nope!]**

"Oh, you missed. Missed again! One more time! Oh, nice try so how about your consolation prize!" He kicked the knife away before flipping into the air and webbing the goons hands. He twisted his arms so the webbing ensnared the goons hands and tangled them up. "This is going to hurt me more then it will hurt you."

He gave a hardy yank and knocked out the goon by making him punch himself in the face. "Huh? Guess I was wrong." He webbed up the two idiots before looking at the couple. "It's ok. Get home safely!"

"Thank you, Spider-man!" They shouted as they rushed out of the alleyway.

"Aww…that makes it all the worthwhile." Spider-man web zipped into the air and vaulted off a rooftop before swinging through the city when he got an alert on his phone. He landed on a traffic light and checked his phone to see his connection to the City's network alerted him of another broadcast from the Brother Eye group so he quickly made his way back to the precinct.

 ** _"_** ** _We said this was just the beginning. Electricity is not the only power in this city. Consider money, for example. The banks are next to go dark. Your beloved dollars wiped away as your accounts will finally all be equal, at zero."_** Brother Eye announced.

"That's not good." Spider-man kicked up the speed and rushed back to the precinct. He landed on the radar tower and engaged the tracking program he implemented before contacting Aria. "Aria, it's me. I'm running a tracking program on the virus that just uploaded into the system. I need you to do the same on my laptop at school. Enter command Spider Network-track-program-zero-one-six-one-six and press enter. That should start my program and will begin tracking down every single lead it can and try to decipher the virus. Do me a favor and let me know what it finds."

 _"_ _We can do that."_ Aria replied.

Laurel and Spencer were busy in the precinct, going over all the paperwork and coordinating with the police on keeping the city safe. Spencer just got off the phone with city hall when an officer walked up to Laurel. "Where's Captain Lance?"

"Coordinated squad car patrols with dispatch. Why? What's wrong?" Laurel asked.

"There's a situation at Starling National." He told her.

"Send in an ESU squad." She told him but he just looked at her funny.

"Sorry, Ma'am but you don't have the power to—" "I'm acting District Attorney. The city charter gives me operational authority in times of crisis, which this clearly is. And I'm not letting anyone get hurt. Send in an ESU, now." She ordered and the officer quickly left to do.

"Laurel isn't that kind of a bad idea? I mean, it could make the situation a lot worse." Spencer told her.

"Don't worry, Spencer. I know what I'm doing." She replied.

"But sending in a riot squad to stop protestors usually ends in violence and we already have our hands full as it is." Spencer pointed out.

"Spencer, I gave the order and it will fix the situation. Do your job and continue to filter calls from city hall." Laurel told her before going to talk to the other officers. Spencer took out her phone and sent a text to Will.

Will webbed up some idiots who tried breaking into a nearby store when his phone went off with a text. He checked it and it was from Spencer saying, _Riot Squad headed to stop protestors at Starling National. Hurry!_ "Aw man. As if things couldn't get any worse." He said before web swinging away as fast as he could.

An angry mob gathered outside Starling National demanding their money to be withdrawn before they lose it and they were getting angrier and more violent by the second. One person was either very angry or very stupid enough to take a garbage can and smashed one of the windows to the bank which just riled up the mob even more. The riot squad soon showed up in full gear and riot shields and got in-between them and the bank. An officer used a megaphone and told the crown to disperse but if anything it just seemed to rile them up even more. Two members of the mob charged forward only to get yanked away with webbing and hoisted up into the air. Spider-man landed on side of the bank building and saw the situation he was dealing with. He fired a webbing line and lowered himself down to the officer with the megaphone.

"Do you mind if I borrow this? Thank you." He took the megaphone and cranked it to the highest setting. **"Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen! If you would be so kind as to please vacate the premises and go home! You're only making the situation much more complicated and difficult to handle! I assure you that the police and I are doing everything we can to stop this Brother Eye group but all of you rioting here isn't helping!"**

"Shut up, web head! Die, you freak!" Some of the rioters shouted and chucked rocks at him.

"Geez! I thought people liked me? Oh, well. Time to get these people to go." He handed the megaphone back to the officer and swiped two of the tear gas grenades from his vest. "I'm gonna need to borrow these. Tell your men to hold their breath!"

"Masks!" The officers shouted.

"Copy!" his men quickly put their gas masks on. Spider-man pulled the pin on the grenades and tossed them into the crowd. Two arrows with metallic tip casings hit the ground near them and filled the crowd with tear gas that caused them to disperse. Spider-man glanced over at a nearby rooftop and saw the Arrow and his red hooded sidekick. He gave them a nod and a mock salute in thanks.

"That should take care of things for now. Best of luck boys in black. We're going to be busy tonight!" Spider-man quickly swung away to deal with the unruly civilians. A few hours tied up to light poles might calm them down and teach them a lesson.

Oliver looked at Spider-man leave before he activated his comm piece. " **The teargas is dispersing the crowd but we can't calm the entire city, Felicity."**

 _"_ _The trace led to the virus they're using. It is a mile past complex. I'm combing through now."_ Felicity told him. _"No, no, no, no, no. The virus, I can't stop it."_

 **"** **Why not?"** He asked.

 _"_ _Because it's mine. I wrote it five years ago."_ She told him.

Line Break xxxxx

Will spent the better part of the next two hours taking down angry mobs and idiots who only helped create more chaos to add to the over piling drama the city was facing from Brother Eyes. God, if he ever met the cop who authorized those riot officers at the banks he'd web him to the ceiling. Little did he know that it was Laurel and she was getting a talking to by her father.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Lance dragged her into his office and shut the door. "Congratulations, you called in a riot squad you nearly started one! And! You did it behind my back!"

"You were busy, and the situation at Starling National was escalating." She told him.

"You escalated it, Laurel! Please tell me you can at least see that now!" Lance told her.

"Ok. I'm sorry." She said. Lance took a big sigh of exhaustion. Dealing with the city being held hostage by this Brother Eye Hacker group was stressful enough without having to worry if his daughter would make things worse.

"Look, Laurel I am about as mad as I can be with you about what you've done to us but that doesn't mean that I'm still not concerned for you. Now, I've been trying to deal with Sara's death as best as I can…and despite how h-hard it is deal with her not being here I'm doing my best and not letting it affect my job. You've got to do the same thing, all right?" Lance told her and she nodded. He looked out his window and saw Yuri motion him over. "Look, I need to go but you do whatever you have to do to figure out how to work."

Laurel nodded as Lance left his office and walked over to Watanabe. "Spider-man, just texted me. He has something and wants to meet us on the roof."

"It better be good news because I'm up to my ears in trouble right now." Lance told her as they rushed up the stairs to the roof. They looked around and saw Spider-man hanging upside down from the radar tower on the roof with a tablet plugged into the console by the dish. "Spider-man!"

The web slinger looked down to see Yuri and Captain Lance. "Hang on." He unplugged the tablet from the console in the tower and grabbed a USB drive before flipping down to the ground and landed in a crouch. "I managed to get some information on the virus the hacker group is using and to say it's powerful and dangerous is an understatement."

He handed Lance and Yuri the table so they could see what they were dealing with and saw the red colored virus code that they didn't have the computer science knowledge to understand. "What am I looking at?" Lance asked.

"Well, for better or for worse, you can call it a super virus. I was only able to get about half an hour with the code to understand it and there's probably a lot I don't but basically it's the computer equivalent a Trojan horse. It an X-axis bionumeric algorithm base code but it was designed by someone who clearly knew what they were doing. Once a server or computer system is infected it with this it can enable the user to access any part of the system it's attached to. So, if you infect even a tiny part of the city's electrical sub-system with even the smallest microbyte of this code the virus will spread and enable you to do whatever you want. Any firewalls or failsafe programs are useless because it'll just take over control." Spider-man explained. "If I wasn't so scared about what this group was going to do next with this thing I'd actually be a little impressed."

"Can you stop it?" Yuri asked but he shook his head no.

"No. Something like this way beyond what I can do. I can do some minor hacking but this is cyber boogeymen scary kind of hacking. Unless you've got a team of NSA league hackers and a CIA level computer I can't stop it." He told them.

"Great. Now what?" Lance asked.

"Well, I figured if we can't stop it maybe we can do our best to find the group responsible for this and stop them. If we find their staging ground I might be able to at least shut down the virus and that will stop them from doing any more damage." He handed Lance a flash drive and brought up a digital map of the city that had 12 points of interest highlighted. "I can't crack the virus or even back trace it but what I was able to do is figure out how they infected the city's electrical system. Like I said before, in order for the virus to gain complete control over a system you'd need to introduce a small part of it first. Seeing as how the city's electrical system went first and then the city's banks and financial systems went under afterward, both systems would have had to be have been infected by this group. I managed to track down the key access points for both systems and that's likely where I can start running down a few more leads. If I can find the IP address the hackers used to start all of this I might be able to track them down."

"12 spots in the entire city is a still too wide of a search grid and you'll be looking through thousands of IP addresses. We need to narrow that down a bit." Yuri told him as Spider-man gave them an uneasy shrug. "What is it?"

"I might have a way to make that go quicker but it would involve me…perchance and possibly…gaining access to the restricted municipal computer network to track down the IP address." Spider-man told them.

"You mean, hacking?" Captain Lance asked.

"No, no. No unethical hacking involved at all, I assure you. I don't need any more reasons for you two to not trust me. I would just need to look over the computer data logs you can bring up." Spider-man told them. "Once I look through that I'll be able to narrow down any unknown or foreign IP addresses that don't belong and once I head to one of those terminals I can compare the two and find the one the hackers used. After that, a little hacking of my own and we'll be one step closer to finding them."

"So instead of hacking you just want one of us to give you access to our restricted computer terminals and look away while you glance through the restricted police-only information?" Lance asked as Spider-man gave him a shrug.

"Well, when you put it like that it doesn't sound any better than hacking. But it could work." Spider-man told him. "I'm asking you to trust me."

"Unfortunately my trust is kind of running a little thin for masks these days, kid." Lance told him.

"Believe me, I want to Spider-man but this…this is asking a lot, ok. This is different than me turning up at a crime scene after you round up some criminals or giving you a heads up when something big happens." Yuri added and Spider-man had to agree with both of them. He was asking them to take a massive leap of faith with a complete stranger against a group of mysterious hackers and his potential plan involved accessing restricted data. Even he'd think that was crazy.

"You're right. It's a leap of faith I'm asking you to take with this and you have no reason to trust me." He told them. He gave it another second of thinking before making his decision. "So, I'll give you one."

He grabbed his mask and took it off to reveal his face to both Captain Lance and Yuri. "My name is William Alexander Detmer. Pleasure to meet you both without the mask." Yuri and Captain Lance were frozen in shock at the sudden realization that Spider-man not only revealed himself to them but that he was just a kid. They were expecting someone at least older. "I take it I'm not at all who you were expecting."

"Not at all." Yuri looked over the newly unveiled superhero she's been working with for months only to see he was…just a kid. She was expecting someone her age…or who could at least buy a beer without a fake id. "Although this does explain why you act like a child and crack too many jokes. Does your mother know you're out past your bed time?"

"I'm not that young, I turned 20 earlier this month and I'm in college." Will told her. "Captain Lance should recognize me. We met during Deathstroke's siege."

"Y-You and your friends came to the SCPD. You were the kid trapped under the house…you saved Sara." Lance remembered the night of the siege and the kid saving Sara, working on the radio and saving Laurel from Slade's men. "It's been you this entire time. How did I not put it together sooner?"

"People see only what they want to see. You see a guy swinging from buildings and kicking the snot out of bad guys and you'd automatically assume it's some roided out jock but instead you get a former short and nerdy science geek." Will pointed out. "But it's the beauty of being me. Anyone can be under that mask and I just happened to be the lucky idiot who got bit by that spider."

"You got bit by a spider and turned into a superhero?" Yuri asked.

"There are some details you're missing but that's the general idea." Will admitted. "It's not something I took to straight away. I had my powers for months before you met me and I didn't decide to actually be Spider-man until after the whole thing was over. I figured if I had these powers then I should be helping people instead of doing nothing and letting them get hurt. If I had become Spider-man sooner I would have been able to help a lot more people when Deathstroke and his army attacked. It wasn't an easy decision to come too but I made it. After everything that's happened with Sara and why or why not the Arrow didn't tell you I wanted you to know that you could trust me."

"I-I'm still reeling from the fact that you're just a kid." Lance told him to wait one second and took a deep breath. Will gave him a moment and noticed Yuri still looking at him funny.

"Soak in it, Yuri because this is who I am under the mask." Will said.

"Right. This is going to take some getting used to." Yuri looked him over. "So, do I call you Will from now on?"

"Out of the mask, sure. In the mask, I'd still prefer Spider-man." Will pointed out. "Does that mean I can call you Yu-Yu as a playful nickname?"

"Do that and I'll taze you." She replied in no nonsense demeanor.

"Duly noted." Will nodded. "But I hope the only thing this changes between us is that you can trust me, Yuri. You took a massive leap of faith when you decided to give me a chance so I'm doing the same."

"I appreciate that." She told him. "I can understand that it wasn't an easy decision to take your mask off to anyone. And given that the SCPD hasn't had the best reputation in the past and with everything we've been dealing with you have to worry who you can trust so I'm honored. You had my trust before and you still have it."

Will happily shook her hand when he noticed Lance was still reeling from the discovery which was understandable but given the city was under cyber-attack they needed to get back to work. "Captain Lance." He called out his name and it seemed to kick him out of his funk. "I'm sure you need some more time to process this and you would like some answers but could we wait until after this Brother Eye group is taken care of?"

"Right, right." Lance cleared his throat and refocused. "Ok…Spider-man."

"This is going to take some getting used to." Will put his mask back on when he heard some screeching car tires followed by gunshots. "It just never stops does it?"

He handed Yuri a small thumb drive. "There. If you trust me enough to help you plug that into one of your computers. It'll look through your system for any abnormalities or things that don't belong. I need to go." He jumped off the roof and swung after the speeding car.

Yuri looked at the thumb drive, ready to help him but looked at Captain Lance and saw he was still on the fence about the whole idea. "Captain?"

"Go, Watanabe before I change my mind." He told her. "But if he's wrong about this then you and he are going to be sharing a cell at Iron Heights."

"He hasn't let me down yet." Yuri walked over to the door and went down the stairs back to her desk. "And I sure hope he doesn't start now."

In the city, three idiots were in a car speeding through the city firing guns and generally being unhelpful to a city in peril. A loud thump was heard before Spider-man flipped onto the hood. "Seriously? The city is under cyber-attack and you three idiots think it's the perfect time to cause trouble?"

"Die, web head!" One of the idiots fired his pistol through the windshield but Spider-man flipped onto the roof of the car. The idiot in the backseat leaned out to shoot him only to get his gun kicked out of his hand, webbing in the face that yanked him out of the car and a sneaker to the gut that sent him flying into a light pole. The guy in the shotgun seat leaned out and fired some bullets but missed as Spider-man ducked and dodged. He flipped forward and punched the bad guy in the face before yanking him out and webbing him to the ground.

He crawled above where the driver was sitting and punched out the window. "You're free ride is over dude." He yanked him out of the driver's seat and webbed him to a fire hydrant. The car began to swerve down the street without someone in the driver's seat. The tires screeched and began spinning out before the car swerved to its side and flipped over. The only reason it didn't flip on its roof over and over again and hurt someone was because of Spider-man.

When the car flipped, Spider-man quickly landed on his feet and caught it on his shoulders and back. "ARGH!" He grits his teeth and took a deep breath after dealing with the added weight and the momentum of the car flipping to a stop on his shoulders. He gave a yell and pushed the car off so it landed back on its wheels in a loud crash. "Whew. Add that to the reason's I don't drive."

Yuri got back to her desk and brought up the information from city hall she requested on the electrical sub system and plugged in Spider-man's thumb drive. Once it was inserted, it began going through all the system data that she had access to and analyzed any foreign IP addresses it could detect that accessed the system for even a second. It took a few minutes to finish because a lot of the foreign IP addresses were typical ones. Between spam emails, visitors, and any phone or tablet that connected to the Wi-Fi there were thousands of IP addresses that the system logged in but his program narrowed it down to about two hundred specific ones. These were ones that didn't regularly connect like phones and tablets usually did or were flagged as unknown and possible spam. It was a place to start.

Yuri took out her phone and dialed Spider-man. "Will, sorry Spider-man. I'm getting used to that."

"Don't worry about it." He told her while swinging through the air. "Did my program find anything?"

"Yeah but over 200 possible IP addresses so not exactly helpful." She replied.

"I'm on my way back now. If I cross reference that information with the data I'll get from one of the 12 access points the banks use I'll be able to narrow that down. Meet me on the roof." He said.

"Ok but Spider-man just a heads up. This plan of yours better work or we'll both be behind bars with the criminals we've been putting away. And something tells me that they'll roll out the welcome wagon for the two of us." Yuri warned him.

"Don't worry, Yuri. I won't let that happen." He said before handing up. "Dear god please don't let that happen."

He got back to the precinct and got the thumb drive from Yuri before connecting his tablet back to the radar tower and uploading the data to his server on his laptop or as he called it his spider-drive. After that he made his way to the nearest bank that was cyber-attacked by Brother Eye and found the terminal box for the computer network. A little strength to break the lock, one plug-in later and he connected to the bank's computer system. He found the system diagnostics page and began running the same scan he gave to Yuri to isolate any foreign IP addresses that accessed the network or Wi-Fi. It took a second which he used to handle another mugging before he got an alert from Aria.

 _"_ _Will, do you have a second?"_ She asked, unaware he was a tiny bit busy.

"Sure, hang on one second." He did a triple backhand spring into a spinning corkscrew kick that nailed one bad guy in the face and sent him flying into some trashcans before web pulling the last guy towards him and taking him out with a flying knee to the face. "Sorry about that. Had to deal with some rowdy individuals. What's up?"

 _"_ _I think your program managed to find the foreign computer signal that the hackers are using."_ She told him.

"One second. Let me get back to my tablet." He webbed up the bad guys and made his way back to the bank where his tablet was still connected. He accessed the data and saw his search managed to find one singular IP address that both the bank systems and the electrical network were connected to for about three seconds. That would be more than enough time to upload a tiny bit of the virus for later. "Perfect, did my program manage to isolate its source?"

 _"_ _No, but it did narrow it down to somewhere in the southern part of the city within a 15 square block radius of the old Kord Enterprises warehouse."_ Aria told him when the spider-server got an alert when it detected the same IP address being used on Blackhawk armored security. _"That's weird. Your program said it got an alert that the same IP address is being used to access the navigation system of a Blackhawk Armored Security truck."_

 _"_ _Isn't that the company that has those crazy armored trucks? Why would someone be hacking there?"_ Emily asked.

"Good question." Will said to himself. "Aria, did the program manage to track a location of that hack?"

 _"_ _Yeah, hold on."_ Aria brought up the map and the address. " _It's 4105 O'Neil Boulevard."_

"The hackers must be after something that Security Company is transporting. Thanks a million Aria and let me know if something else comes up." He told her before quickly dialing Yuri. "Yuri, it's me. Find Captain Lance I think I have a lead on this Brother Eye group."

Yuri walked into Captain Lance's office where she locked the door and he closed the blinds. _"What is it, Spider-man?"_ She asked.

"I managed to find a singular IP address that was present in both the electrical subsystem and the bank's network. Most definitely this hacker group but here's the weird part. It was just used to access something at the Blackhawk Armored Security Company." He told them

 _"_ _Why would it be there?"_ Yuri asked.

"I figured they must be after something the company is transporting. The location of the hack was for the truck at 4105 O'Neil Boulevard. Maybe the company was tasked with transporting something from there? They transport expensive things, right?" He asked.

 _"_ _Yeah they do."_ Yuri told him when she noticed Lance had a look. " _Captain?"_

 _"_ _Hang on."_ Lance went over to his computer and checked over his email. He remembered reading something about Blackhawk security. He found an email from the Mayor's office about an emergency transfer request from the Starling City Treasury for money after the banks went under cyber-attack. The email was asking for three police units to accompany a Blackhawk armored security truck to the banks for the transfer. _"The mayor's office sent out a request to the treasury department for an influx of money after the banks went under cyber-attack and for three units to accompany the curriers. Blackhawk Armored Security is the company that transports the money."_

"So the address the hack was taking place?" Will asked.

 _"_ _That's where the Starling City Treasury is located."_ Lance told him.

 _"_ _So they're next target is the treasury?"_ Yuri asked.

"If they're target was the treasury why wouldn't they just target them instead of a security company?" Will asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

 _"_ _Because the Treasury holds cash and immediately goes into lockdown if it's under cyber-attack. And that place has enough armed men that make it practically impossible to attack it."_ Lance told him.

"Which wouldn't be an issue if they draw the money out." Will finally saw the connection. "They can draw the money out in the trucks and take them out giving them possibly millions of dollars. Kind of genius and horrible as well."

 _"_ _So this entire thing was just about money?"_ Lance asked.

 _"_ _It's a massive misdirect. Put the city under cyber-attack and make us chase our tails while they get away with the money we need for the city. So we're dealing with smart terrorists. Just great."_ Yuri said sarcastically.

 _"_ _But those trucks have to follow the strict route to the bank on their GPS or else the truck shuts down and we get an emergency notification."_ Lance told them.

"Not if they hack the GPS and get the truck to go where they want. Captain, can you check the units that are with the armored truck and see where they're heading?" Will asked.

Lance pulled up the GPS on the police cars with the armored truck and saw they were heading south, bypassing regular roads and pretty much every single bank on the way. _"They're heading south and passed every single bank on the way."_ Lance told him.

"South…south…" Will took out his tablet and brought up a map of the city. He highlighted the area that Aria said his program managed to track his virus to by the old Kord warehouse. "Captain Lance, is the escort going anywhere near Route 41?"

Lance checked on the map and saw the convoy turn onto the route. " _They did just now. What's going on?"_

"I think I know where they're heading. I'm going now to triple check but be ready to move out." He quickly put his tablet away and made his way south, swinging as fast as he could through the city. Nearby pedestrians would see Spider-man swing low to the ground before launching himself high into the air at the apex at his swing. He nosedived down to the ground to pick up speed and shot out another web to swing for distance. He landed on the side of a building and ran alongside it before firing a web and banking around the corner.

He flipped through the air after a massive jumped into the air and landed in his signature spider crouch on the roof of an old building. He double checked the map on his phone and saw he was in the general area his program narrowed down from tracking the IP address the hackers used. A 15 square block area was a large search grid but his previous experience with bad guys had taught him a few things. One of which was bad guys typically had people outside as guards or lookouts.

"Now, if I was a mysterious hacker group who wants to rob the city blind of money…where would I be?" He super jumped into the air and landed on the roof of a building four blocks away. Now normally it would take a long time to search this area for anything out of the ordinary but luckily his enhanced vision would make things a little easier. He looked around and used his power to get a clear image of everything around him from blocks away. He never tested his enhanced vision to the max but he could see things that were at least a mile away like it was right in front of him. "Ok, we have empty warehouse, trashcan, dumpster, rat filled dumpster, squirrel and rat filled dumpster, oh flaming trashcan to mix it up, mysterious and sketchy looking dude, pile of trash, birds nest…wait a sec."

He adjusted his vision and zoomed in at the mysterious and sketchy looking dude who seemed to be hanging around the street corner keeping a watchful eye out and the not-so subtle glint of plastic and metal hidden behind his back. "Wow, dude. Way to be inconspicuous. Unlucky for you but lucky for me." He web zipped forward and landed on the roof of another building to get a better look. He saw the sketchy guy seemed to be on the lookout for something but kept glancing over to the east so he super jumped in that direction. Mid-jump he saw some men over by a warehouse so he web zipped to the roof of the warehouse to check out what was going on. He spider crawled over to the edge and looked down at the group of guys grouped together. "Ok, generic looking bad guys? Check. Old warehouse? Check. Suspicious bugles and weapons on their person? Double check."

He crawled along the roof to be extra stealthy and found a broken ceiling skylight, the perfect thing for a sneaky superhero to get a view into the evil villain's lair. One extra careful and gentle removal of some glass and he lowered himself down in his signature upside down Spider-man perch. There he got himself a good look at three massive monitors with the Brother Eye logo, a very sophistical computer workstation and two blonde haired women. "Hello, Brother Eye." He took out his phone and took a picture before sending it to Yuri and giving her a call. "Yuri, good news. My hunch was right and I found Brother Eye's staging ground. An old warehouse on the corner of Hartford and Lake."

Yuri was in Captain Lance's office and showed him the photo of the computers with the Brother Eye image. "Nice job. We're on our way." She told him.

"Just FYI, come with some backup. The group has about 25 armed goons outside, another 15 inside, and I think some hostages." He told her. "I'll try and slow them down."

"We're on our way." Lance grabbed his gun and Yuri grabbed her jacket before the two stepped outside and gathered up a team of armed cops and SWAT officers. "All right, listen up. We've got a location on the group that's been responsible for everything that's been happening tonight. Our latest intel from a CI just gave up a location on Hartford and Lake."

"We believe the group is after an armored truck from the Starling City Treasury. That money is needed to keep this city from falling apart so this group is not taking it." Yuri added.

"We've seen what these people are capable of so be careful. Watch your back and watch your partners back and stay safe. Let's move out!" Lance shouted and all the officers got into their vehicles and drove as quickly as they could.

Line Break xxxxx

The armored truck and police escorts soon arrived at the warehouse and they knew something was wrong but the officers were already made aware of the situation by Captain Lance and were ready. The cop cars swerved in front of the armored truck to make a small blockade before the officers got out and took up a defensive position with their pistols, shotguns, and AR-15s. "SCPD, drop your weapons and put your hands on your head!"

"Light them up!" one of the mercenaries shouted and the group unloaded a torrent of bullets at the truck and cops. The truck's armored plating and bulletproof windows held up to the barrage of bullets while the cop cars were riddled and the officers fired back or took cover. One of the officers emptied his pistol at the mercs before ducking down and reloading.

"Delta Charlie 18 to Central. We have encountered armed and heavy resistance. Requesting immediate backup!" He shouted into his radio before popping off some more rounds.

 _"_ _Central to Delta Charlie 18. Captain Lance and a convoy of officers are in route to your location, over. ETA, sixty seconds."_ Police command operator informed him.

The officers kept the mercenaries from advancing on the truck but were pinned down and slowly being overwhelmed by the weapons being used. One of the mercenaries stepped forward with an RPG and took aim at the truck. "RPG!" One of the officers shouted.

Arsenal and Diggle arrived and flanked the mercenaries from the side. Arsenal quickly fired an arrow and pierced the launcher, rendering it unable to fire. That and the bullets Diggle fired got their attention to their flank to they quickly fired in their general direction. Arsenal got over his brief shock of his accuracy and fired another arrow, hitting the launcher mercenary in the leg before firing another and hitting a merc in the shoulder. Some of the mercenaries took cover behind their little blockade/cover they made while reinforcements from inside came to back them up. Lance, Yuri and the SCPD back up soon arrived and it were the mercenaries who were now outnumbered.

"SCPD, drop your weapons now!" Lance shouted only for the mercs to keep firing so he fired back. He took cover behind one of the cars as Yuri covered him and the two made their way over to one of the officers who were with the armored truck convoy. "What's the situation?"

"We have them holed up in the warehouse for now. Possible heavy weaponry and explosive!" The officer told them before firing a few shots with his pistol. "They have us pinned down."

"Get that truck out of here!" Lance ordered as the driver started it up and reversed as quickly as he could to give the SWAT van room to enter. The SWAT officers got out and set up a firing line at the mercenaries. "Watanabe where is he?"

Yuri ducked down to call on her cell. "Spider-man, we're being pinned down outside the warehouse!"

 _"_ _I'm on it!"_ She heard before firing a few bullets from cover.

 **Literally three minutes prior…**

Felicity was at the computer doing the dirty work for her ex-boyfriend Cooper who was revealed to be the crazy mastermind of the whole Brother Eye thing in an effort to steal millions from the Starling City Treasury and cause a little mayhem. Her mother was tied to a chair and threatened so Felicity would hack into the Treasury Department and hack into the armored truck's GPS to deliver the money.

She quickly finished her hack and her sending of a distress signal when Cooper returned. "I did what you wanted. You don't have to kill us." She told him only for Cooper to grab her face.

"Really? Who would have thought that I'd become the grue?" He joked before pointing his gun in her face.

"Hey! Hey, you want to wave that gun at me, fine, but don't you dare threaten my daughter." Donna Smoak warned him which actually made him chuckle.

"And here I thought you were all nails and hair." He commented.

"Try single mom who's worked 60 hours weeks in six inch heels for tips in order to raise that genius child you see there." Donna told him. "I may not understand all this cyber whatever, but I know without that gun you wouldn't last 10 seconds against my girl."

"To bad she doesn't have ten seconds." Cooper said, ready to kill her.

 **"** **I disagree!"** Someone said as they turned and saw the Arrow standing there in the warehouse with an arrow aimed at Cooper **. "Put the gun down."**

"I'd listen to the emerald archer if I were you." Another voice said as Spider-man dropped down from the ceiling and landed next to him. "Trust me when I say you don't want to get on his bad side."

"You were always so good, Felicity." Cooper said to her.

"We're not gonna ask again. It's over, Brother Eye. The police are already on their way and know about the armored truck. You're not getting going to get out of this one unless it's through us and I wouldn't recommend that." Spider-man told him.

"Really, because I think it'll be fun." Cooper pressed a button on his phone and four auto-mounted M240 machine guns with laser motion tracking sights activated and were set on the two heroes. "Motion sensored. They can hit most any target."

"Key word being most." Spider-man told him before whispering to the Arrow. _"You go left I go right."_

The two immediately moved to the side with the Arrow firing a grapple arrow to gain altitude while Spider-man ducked, dodged, and flipped to avoid gunfire. The guns were dangerous but the motion sensor tracking wasn't that great and unable to keep up with him. The Arrow grappled up to the nearest mounted machine gun which fired several dozen rounds but he moved too quickly to get hit. He landed on the platform and stabbed an arrow into the control panel so the sensor deactivated before firing another arrow at the other gun, short-circuiting the sensor. Spider-man flipped to the side and fired two globs of impact webbing that gummed up the gears and kept the guns from moving. Two web lines along with a harsh super strength tug and the guns were ripped from their mounts and thrown into the corner.

Cooper used the distraction to cut Felicity free and use her as a human shield. He kept her close and aimed his gun at her head. "This is all your fault."

"I don't think so!" One web hit the gun and the other Cooper's face. One harsh yank and he was pulled forward and dropped Felicity. The Arrow pierced Cooper's hand with an arrow, forcing him to drop the gun while Spider-man web zipped forward and delivered a flying knee to his face that sent him flying into the wall.

"And that's that." One glob of impact webbing and Cooper was restrained. "That's that? Egh, I need to update my quips."

His earbud rang with a call so he answered it. _"Spider-man, we're being pinned down outside the warehouse!"_ Yuri yelled.

"I'm on it!" He quickly web zipped over to the entrance. 10 armed mercenaries were reloading their weapons and ready to swap out with the ones who were being shot at. One of them loaded a grenade launcher and was ready to use it when three small metallic spheres clanked on the ground near them. They beeped for a second before exploding and covering all of them in sticky webbing. Spider-man landed near the warehouse cargo door so the remaining mercenaries could see him. "Hi! We could fight or hear me out—we could barbeque!"

The mercs turned and fired only for Spider-man to leap high into the air with a spin so they missed. A barrage of web bullets hit some them in the face, gut or hands while two webs snagged some guns and they were yanked away only to fly through the air and hit two of them in the face. Two webs hit two of the mercs just as Spider-man landed when he gave them a harsh tug and knocked the two into one another face first. His little distraction was perfect for Lance, Yuri, and the SWAT officers to close the distance and surround them.

"SCPD, down on the ground!" Lance shouted as the mercs lowered their guns and raised their hands.

"Drop your weapons and get on your knees!" Yuri shouted with her gun pointed right at their heads. The rest of the mercs dropped their guns just as the remaining SCPD officers surrounded them and took them into custody. Yuri cuffed one of the mercenaries when she noticed Spider-man disappeared.

"Excuse me gentlemen and ladies." They all heard and looked up to see Spider-man perched up on the side of the warehouse with another bag guy tied up and dangling in the air. "This is the person responsible for your headaches and annoyance tonight. I leave him in your custody. Pleasure working with you." He fired a web and swung away in style. "WOOO!"

Lance coordinated his men in securing all the mercenaries, weapons, and the computer equipment they found in the warehouse. They managed to deactivate the virus so the city was safe from any further attack and all the financial information they took from the banks was transferred back. That was a really good win for the city and its people so there weren't anymore riots. Lance contacted the mayor's office and let her know that the situation had been handled and the Brother Eye group was taken care of. The CSU team was finishing its sweep in the warehouse and the paramedics were looking after one of the hostages, Donna Smoak. Lance finished his call when he saw Felicity Smoak walk up to him, still reeling from the whole situation and a little nervous.

"Captain." Felicity greeted him, still shook over what happened but was doing better than before.

"Hey, you all right?" Lance asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everyone has a crazy-ex, I guess mine turned into a cyber terrorist." Felicity joked. She glanced at her mom being looked at by the paramedics. Merely a formality at this point but better to be safe than sorry. "So, should I expect a pair of handcuffs on me tonight too?"

Lance contemplated it for a second but he was in a good mood. "Not tonight." He walked away and Felicity breathed a massive sigh of relief. Lance may not trust Oliver anymore but maybe they could fix their relationship again. Yuri talked to some of the officers when she saw a red blur swing nearby so she walked over to the side of the warehouse and saw Spider-man sitting against the wall.

"Nice job tonight, Yuri." He said to her.

"Likewise, Spider-man." She replied before looking him over one more time. "Still find it hard to believe you're just a kid under that mask, especially after what I saw you do."

"First off, I'm not a kid. I'm an adult now since I'm 20. And who would you rather have an uncaring, grizzled, old man under this mask?" He pointed out and Yuri agreed. He was annoying and a bit of a goofball but he kept things interesting and was good. "The city's safe and everything the hackers did was undone."

"The money from the treasury is back where it belongs and we've got the rest of the SCPD out in the city to make sure no idiots try to do anything stupid." She told him.

"Good, makes my job a little easier." Spider-man said, when his phone went off with a notification from his police scanner. "Guess I'm needed in the city."

"Job of a superhero is never done, is it?" She asked.

"Not in my experience. I'll see you later, Yuri." He fired a web and pulled himself away. Spider-man flipped through the air and fired another web to swing away when an arrow sliced through it. He quickly course corrected his body to land in a roll. He spun into his spider crouch on the roof of a building when his spider-sense went off. Two arrows were fired from the darkness but missed as Spider-man butterfly flipped through the air. He landed in a crouch only to see the Arrow step out from the darkness with a metallic tipped arrow aimed and ready to fire. "So, I'm guessing our little team up back in the warehouse is over, huh? And I was hoping it would put me on your good side, if you have a good side."

 **"** **Do you think this is a joke? You could have gotten people killed tonight!"** He shouted.

"Ok, I'm confused." Spider-man said. "I helped you stop Brother Eye, helped you take out those turrets, saved the hostages and dealt with the rest of the mercenaries. Where in any of those situations did I put people in danger? I may not have been doing this as long as you have been skewering people with arrows but I'm good at my job. Those hostages weren't in any danger. If anything, with the both of us they were safer than if you were just by yourself."

 **"** **I had the situation handled."** The Arrow told him.

"Maybe, maybe not but you're not the only person who wants to help this city. I just do it in a different way." Spider-man told him.

 **"** **I told you before that I don't want another vigilante in this city. You're reckless, dangerous, and people will get hurt. Stop this now or I'll make you…Will."** Arrow warned him. It actually made him smirk but he was unaware that Spider-man was smirking as well.

"First off, not a vigilante. Second, what you confuse as reckless I would like to think of as eager and helpful. Third, never once has anyone involved in any of my superhero business gotten hurt. And finally, when I put on this mask I made a promise to help keep this city safe so Spider-man is here to stay. And if you think threatening me with who I am under the mask is a good idea then I can give you one good reason it isn't…Mr. Queen." Will said with a smirk. Even though the hood covered his face he could have sworn he saw Oliver get a little nervous. "What? You think that sending your bodyguard John Diggle to my college to keep an eye on me was you being clever? He's not exactly a student."

 **"** **I don't know what you're talking about."** Oliver did his best to play it off.

"Oh, please. Don't try it. Any idiot with half a brain could put the dots together. You leave for five years, you come back, the Arrow then shows up at the same time and since you don't get into your usual playboy antics anymore no one really knows what you do since Queen Consolidated went belly up months ago. And you don't own Verdant anymore so why was Oliver Queen skulking around the alley behind the club from a secret door? _Very suspicious."_ Will said in a sing-song voice, having a little fun only for Oliver to pull the arrow back further and ready to fire. "Relax, jolly green. I'm not about to rat out another costumed hero. Its rule 10 of the Superhero/vigilante rule book. Right after rule 9 which is get some leverage on your fellow heroes in case they try to screw with you."

 **"** **What do you want?"** Oliver angrily asked.

"I don't want anything Oliver except for you to stop treating me like I'm the bad guy. I'm not. I do the exact same thing you do: keep the city safe. I've done nothing to you or any of your friends to get the contempt I am now so whatever reason you have for hating me is on you. All I want is to left alone and do my job." Will told him.

 **"** **I'm handling it."** Oliver told him.

"If that were true then the city would be in better shape. I'm not blaming you for that, no one can be everywhere at once but this isn't just your city. The Queens may have been rich and had this city in the palms of their hands but this is as much my city as it is yours. The only difference is that I experienced it without the lap of luxury, money, and power to get me out of trouble." Will shot back.

 **"** **I'm not that kind of person anymore."** Oliver said.

"And I'm glad about that. Whatever happened those five years away clearly changed you. Made you less friendly for sure but clearly gave you some new skills. I'm plenty friendly but I have my limits and seeing as how you have been attacking me since we met why don't we start small and give each other some space. You do you and I'll do me. Who knows, maybe with enough time you'll start to see that I'm here to help. Lucky for you, I've had my fair share of bullying and have learned to turned the other cheek. So…I forgive you for trying to attack me several times. Now, if we're done here I have some work to do." Will bid him farewell and web swung away.

Line Break xxxxx

Oliver returned to the bunker later that night to put his gear and hood away when Felicity walked in. "Hey. So, Captain Lance didn't arrest me today which I'm guessing is a move in the right direction. And considering he did give us a call erlier…maybe things will get better."

"Maybe." Oliver said.

"So, how was it teaming up with Spider-man tonight?" Felicity asked and Oliver gave her a funny look. "I'm only asking because I got to see him in action tonight with my own eyes and have so many questions."

"Your point on him being a meta was right. No human could move like that. But…he did help me save you and this city is a little safer." Oliver admitted.

"If I didn't know any better that sounded like a compliment." Felicity commented.

"I ran into him shortly after the SCPD arrived." Oliver told her. "I tried to get him to stand down but he's…determined to keep doing this. Starling City is his home and he wants to keep it safe."

"Sounds a lot like another superhero I know." Felicity said. "Just for the record, I was referring to you. What else happened?"

"He knows who I am …and he saw Diggle following him at SCU. He's definitely not a regular college student." He said.

"So, should we be worried he's going to tell people who you really are?" Felicity asked but he shook his head no. "Good. I know you don't trust him Oliver but he did help save me and keep this city safe tonight. If anything…I think it's earn him the benefit of the doubt, at least."

"Maybe…but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable with him out there." He told her.

"You wouldn't be you if you were." Felicity said.

"Are you all right?" He asked and she nodded.

"I guess so. Old lovers have a way of opening old wounds. Lovers…sounds creepy not matter how you say it." She said causing him to laugh.

"Felicity…I want you to know that whatever experiences you had to go through, I'm glad that you did. They shaped the person you are today. And you know how I feel about her." He told her. She nodded but quickly tried to change the subject to avoid the awkwardness there.

"You were right. We have to love our families. No matter what." She left to go make peace with her mother.

At the SCPD, the police were finishing up paperwork and last minute details after the crazy night they had. Things had finally started to quiet down and were getting peaceful again. Laurel and Spencer were working on the paperwork that followed after such a crazy night and it was just exhausting. Spencer finished another sheet when she saw Will walk into the precinct in his regular clothes with a tray of milkshakes.

"Will, what are you doing here?" She asked. Laurel looked up and saw Will arrive.

"I was in the neighborhood and figured you could use a pick me up after the night you had. So, I went to that burger place on Adam's and got you a black and white milkshake." He handed her one and she smiled. "A little ice cream seems like the best way to recover from what happened.

"Thanks. I needed something to pick me up." She took a sip and relished in the cold flavor. Will took out an extra and walked over to Laurel's desk.

"I grabbed an extra one for the ADA. Figured you could use one too." Will smiled and Laurel chuckled a bit.

"Thanks, Will. This is really sweet." She took the milkshake and he nodded.

"Don't mention it. Keep up the good work." He said before looking at Spencer. "Spencer, when you're ready to head back to campus let me know."

"Sure thing. I should be done in a few minutes." She said as Will spared a glance to Yuri. She saw him and gestured to Lance's office and he gave a subtle nod.

"Take your time." Will walked over to Captain Lance's office and walked in. Yuri followed soon after and closed the door and blinds along with locking the door. Laurel looked at this and wondered what was going on but remembered that her father said that Spider-man told him about Sara so…could her father know that Will is Spider-man?

Lance was going through some paperwork at his desk when he saw Will and Yuri walk in. Yuri locked the door and closed the blinds as Will put a milkshake down on his desk. "A peace offering and as a thank you for your help tonight." He said, before handing the other one to Yuri. "I would have done something more but again, I'm a college student so I'm on a budget."

"I would have preferred a different kind of drink but seeing as how your only 20 this will do." Yuri took a sip and Lance did the same.

"Thanks, kid." Lance took the milkshake and took a small sip. "What brought you by?"

"Well…I said we could talk more about me being Spider-man after we dealt with Brother Eye and we dealt with Brother Eye. I figured you have some questions and I just want to talk." Will told him. "And hopefully convince you not to throw me and Yuri into a jail cell."

"I said I'd throw you and Watanabe into a cell if tonight didn't go well but it did…so I guess I won't do it." Lance told him and Will breathed a sigh in relief. "Still not sure how I feel about a kid swinging around my city though."

"Fair enough." Will sat down in a chair. "Honestly I still have time believing I'm doing this as well but I made a promise to myself and this city so I'm going to keep it as best as I can."

"Help me understand this…you can do these things that you can do and suddenly decide to be a hero?" Lance asked.

"Not at first, no." Will admitted. Yuri sat down in the other chair because she wanted to know this. "To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure about how it happened but a year ago…I wasn't like this. I didn't have powers and I was just a short, glasses-wearing nerdy science freshman at Starling City University. Being a hero was the last thing on my mind."

"So what happened?" Yuri asked.

"Well, one faithful stormy night in Central City along with a spider bite…and I woke up a few days later like this." Will took out his phone to show them an old photo of him before he got his powers. "This is how I used to look."

"Wow." Lance looked at the picture then again at Will and noticed the change. "You hit puberty fast."

"You were in Central City when the particle accelerator exploded." Yuri said and he nodded.

"I'm not sure how but whatever happened that night changed me and made me…different. After I found what happened to me and I had…superpowers, I spent every waking moment figuring out how this happened and if I was dangerous. I mean, I could be radioactive or I could have grown four extra arms along with six extra eyes. I was freaking out." Will told them. "Granted, the height and body changed was a nice side effect."

"You didn't think to go to the hospital?" Lance asked.

"And risk getting sent to a government lab for the rest of my life? No thank you. I've seen enough movies to know what would happen. Eventually I learned that whatever happened to me to give me powers changed my body but didn't make me dangerous so I was content to get used to my new body and live a normal life…until March 26th, 2014." Will said when that date clicked in Lance's head.

"Wait a second, I know that date. That was the day Helena Bertinelli took hostages at the courthouse." Lance said, remembered the mysterious hooded figure that appeared that day. "That was you?"

"That was me and also the first time I met both your daughters." Will told him. "I didn't plan on that night to use my powers to stop the Huntress but she took people I care as hostages and I had to do something to help them and I'm glad I did. I saved them, stop the Huntress and didn't get killed."

"I always wanted to thank whoever that was that night…so thanks, I guess." Lance said and Will nodded.

"So after that you became Spider-man?" Yuri asked but he shook his head no.

"No, I didn't become Spider-man until after Deathstroke attacked the city and I met Captain Lance that night. The night kind of gave me some clarity." Will admitted. "I felt bad for not doing more. I mean, one of Deathstroke's goons tore through this place but I was able to stop him and then I went home. What about everyone else who was attacked that night? After that night…I couldn't stop thinking about why this happened to me."

"What do you mean?" Lance asked.

"I mean…do you have any idea what it feels like to be a literal doorstop for people? I've been a science nerd my whole life and needed corrective lenses since I was in grade school. I stopped growing in middle school and have been a punching bag, door stop, and swirly machine since I could remember. Yet despite all of that I was the one who got powers out of anyone else. There are a dozen muscle headed jocks at my school who people would think is Spider-man and think they're better for it yet I'm the one who was there and who was changed. Call it random circumstance or destiny…I felt that I had to do something."

"It could have just been a coincidence you got your powers." Lance told him and Will agreed with his statement.

"Fair enough but many people believe there is no scientific basis for coincidence so random circumstance is more accurate. My friends, my mother and I were lucky to make it that night but a lot of other people weren't." Will told him. "My dad used to always say that when you have the chance to make a difference but you don't and then the bad things happen…they happen because of you. At least with doing something, you have the chance to make a difference. He gave his life believing in that when he helped take down the Maggia."

"Your father was a wise man. But you really think he'd approve of what you're trying to do?" Lance asked. It wasn't in an authoritative or disappointed tone but more of a concerned/fatherly tone. "Risking your life and breaking the law?"

"Maybe, maybe not but I know that if he knew I was helping people he would support what I do…like my mother does." Will told him. "I was beyond conflicted with this entire idea before I even became Spider-man but I have these powers for a reason. Any other person would be using them to get rich, rob people blind, or do who knows what. Yet it happened to me and I felt that I need to do something good or else why would I have them in the first place. You can live every day of your life trying to think of something more profound or more on the nose…but for me, who suddenly finds himself looking out at a crazy world and not knowing what the hell I'm supposed to be doing in it…I can tell you that just remembering that with great power comes great responsibility…can completely define you. It was after that…I became Spider-man."

Lance took a moment to himself to think about what he just heard. Here was this kid who was as normal as normal was yet was turned into a superhero with powers he didn't know about. It was true, if anyone else had gotten then they could be doing a lot of bad. Any other person like this kid could have snapped and become something horrible with these powers yet he decided to try and help people. It said a lot about his character that he made his life harder by doing this and revealed his identity. Lance wasn't sure how to feel now.

"Look, Captain Lance…I understand if you don't believe in what I'm doing and don't feel it's right but I wanted you to know that no matter what happens this city can count on me to help." Will promised him. "I'm not some rich billionaire who has a secret lair or some alien from another planet…I'm just a college kid who got by a spider. I've lived in Starling my entire life. It's my home and I'll protect it as best I can. If you want me to stay clear of the SCPD and Yuri I'll understand but if you ever need my help I'll always be there."

Will stood up to leave when Lance did the same. "You're right…I don't really believe in what you're doing. I always believed that the moment we take the law into our own hands is the day we become outlaws. And I still believe that…but I also can understand why you made this decision. I can't condone it officially…but I can at least understand. You came to me with the truth about my daughter and I appreciate that, I really do. You saved my daughter plenty of times and really helped us tonight and you took the risk showing me who you really are. That took some serious guts." Lance told him.

"Guts or faith." Will corrected.

"Well…I guess I owe it to you to not let that faith in me down. Your identity is safe with me, I won't throw you in jail…and despite my best instincts…the work you and Watanabe have been looking into is big so keep working it." Lance told them causing Will and Yuri to smile. "But know this…don't step out of line."

"I completely understand." Will told him before holding out his hand. "Thank you, Captain Lance. I promise I won't let you down."

Lance looked at him one last time before shaking his hand. "I hope so, kid." The two shook hands and a new chapter for Spider-man had started. A small trust was formed and would only get stronger.

 **End of Chapter 4**

 **That's the end of chapter four. I hoped you guys liked it. It was originally going to have another part but that would make it too long so it'll be next chapter. Even without that part not in it, this one turned out nice with a lot of happening. Some seeds have been set for future plot points and Brother Eye have been taken down. Will has earned the trust of Captain Lance and his risky move to reveal his identity seemed to have paid off. Yuri trusts him and hopefully Captain Lance will be a complete convert with time. Although Oliver and Team Arrow now know who he is but so does Will so a small truce was formed. Time will tell if it lasts.**

 **Next chapter, Halloween has arrived and it brings a massive headache curtesy of the Big Man and the Smythes. It'll be his toughest fight yet but a defining one. Until next time.**

 **William Alexander Detmer-Age 20: Birthday, October 8** **th** **, 1994**

· **Moniker: The Spectacular Spider-man**

· **Appearance:** Tyler Posey

· **Uniform:** Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit.

· **Casual outfit:** sneakers, blue jeans, black or red t-shirt with blue button-up or sweatshirt.

· **Weapons:** Mark 1 Web Shooters, Web Grenades/Bombs, Spider tracers, acid embrittlement bombs, earpiece connected to phone, modified Palmer tech tablet

· **Skills:** Genius intellect with 250 IQ, Superhuman strength, Superhuman speed, Superhuman reflexes, Superhuman agility and balance, Super senses, accelerated healing factor, wall-crawling/adhesive stick, Spider-Sense, Night Vision, and enhanced range vision, Bio-Electrokinesis/Venom strike-blast

· **May Detmer:** Marisa Tomei

· **Aria Montgomery:** Lucy Hale

· **Emily Fields:** Shay Mitchell

· **Spencer Hastings:** Troian Bellisario

· **Dr. Curt Connors:** Dylan Baker

· **Yuri Watanabe:** Kelly Hu

o _(Guess China White is the evil twin)_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man, Arrow or any above mentioned products. All rights belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone, here is Chapter 5 of the Spectacular Spider-man. Will has gotten off to a good start with Captain Lance and Yuri with both of them now knowing who he really is. He's earned their trust for now and he'll need to work to keep it that way. Halloween comes around and he unfortunately has to deal with Smythe and his spider slayer. It's up to Spider-man to deal with all of that. Enjoy!**

 **The Spectacular Spider-man: Halloween hurts**

 **October 2014-Starling City**

Will was waiting around with Aria, Emily, Spencer, and May by the Starling City bus station for Maya to arrive. She should be arriving soon from San Jose, California and Emily was beyond excited. Guess seeing Will and Aria being lovey-dovey made her miss Maya, so she was beyond happy she was coming. May was also excited to meet her since she would be staying with her while she was in Starling. Emily was sharing a dorm room with Aria and Spencer so there wasn't enough space, but May was more than happy to offer her one of the spare rooms at the house.

Will had been in a good mood for a few days after his job in stopping Brother Eye from sending the city into utter chaos and stealing millions of dollars. He kicked butt of the evil hacker and mercenaries, saved a bunch more people, but more importantly was that he was able to clear the air and gain the trust of Captain Lance. It was a risk to reveal who he was to him and Yuri, something the girls and his mother repeatedly told him, but he figured it was a risk worth taking. Yuri trusted him and their relationship was good, but he felt that with Lance he knew he would never really earn his trust if he wore the mask. Especially considering how the Arrow never told him about Sara, it made him distrustful of people with masks and for good reason. So, Will showed he was just a regular person underneath and tried to get Lance to know him. He wasn't some evil alien come down to take over the city or some mysterious assassin/serial killer. He was just a nerdy college student who was in the wrong place at the wrong time…or maybe the right place at the right time. So, he was tolerating him and he would allow him and Yuri to keep working together but considering what they were dealing with he figured it wouldn't be long before Lance was working with them to try and take Hammerhead and the Big Man down.

A bus pulled into one of the loading lanes which drew their attention. The door opened and the passengers got out while the driver and bus station hands helped unload the luggage from the compartments. Will glanced over and saw Emily was both excited and nervous. "Are you ok, Em?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just happy she's here." Emily told him.

"Yeah, it's easy to tell. I think the last time we saw you this happy was just a few days ago when you won the qualifiers at the swim meet." Aria said.

"I think it'll just be nice to not have to deal with you and Aria being all mushy and in my face with her here." Emily replied.

"Fair point and I couldn't agree anymore. With Toby coming later today it'll be nice to not have to deal with the honeymoon couple." Spencer added.

"Wow, glad to know how you guys really feel." Will said, hugging Aria from behind and kissing her head. "Just for that, Aria and I will try to be extra lovey-dovey to get on your nerves."

That earned him a few chuckles from everyone when Emily saw Maya disembark the bus and grab her bag. Emily walked over to greet her and once she was close enough Maya saw her and the two shared a very heartfelt hug and kiss. Will smiled seeing how happy Emily was.

"A part of me wanted to make a very funny and tasteful joke but I think I'll let it slide." Will said, holding Aria close. "Emily looks really happy."

"Aw, look at you. You've grown up a bit." Aria joked. Will smiled and gave her a quick kiss when he saw Emily and Maya walk over.

"Guys let me introduce you all to Maya St. Germain. Maya these are my friends. This is Will, Aria, Spencer, and this is Will's mother, May. She's the one you'll be staying with." Emily said, making introductions.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Maya. Emily's told us great things about you." Will introduced himself, walking over and giving her a small hug. Maya looked him over and adopted a small smirk.

"So, this is the famous Will Detmer you've told me about." Maya said to Emily and she nodded.

"I'm famous?" Will asked.

"Oh, of course. Emily told me all about you. You in particular, she's mentioned a lot of great things. From the way Emily was talking about you she seems to think you can walk on water." Maya commented. Will glanced over at Emily who smiled at him and he smiled as well, flattered that Emily thought so much of him.

"Well, Emily is no slouch in that field either. But instead of walking on water she can fly through it like a dolphin." He joked. Maya chuckled as she gave Emily a playful look.

"You're right. He is funny and kind of cute." Maya said.

"Oh, she thinks I'm cute. How about that, Em? I'm already winning points with your girlfriend." Will said causing them all to laugh. "Well, let's get you out of here and relaxed. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat." Maya replied, grabbing her backpack while Will helped her with her bags. "I don't suppose you guys have a Big Belly Burger here in Starling?"

"That we do." May told her as they got into the car and drove to Big Belly Burger for some lunch.

They got a table and ordered their fill of burgers, fries, and sodas along with getting to know Maya more. She was funny, smart, and had an amazing personality. Emily was a lucky girl. She just finished telling them the story of how she and Emily met during the summer. "And I kid you not, by the end of the night Emily was so nervous she was shaking like a leaf." Maya told them.

"Really?" Will asked.

"Maya is joking, of course. I was shaking like a leaf because it was windy on the beach." Emily corrected her. "But it was still a great first date."

"I'm glad, Em. Looks like that summer away was a good idea." Will finally admitted to himself. "Although now I have to do the obligatory best guy friend thing and warn Maya not to hurt you."

"Yeah, please don't do that." Spencer told him.

"But's it's tradition." He joked.

"Well, it's a tradition you don't have to worry about. Don't worry, I wouldn't hurt Emily." Maya assured him.

"Good. So, how long can you stay in Starling?" He asked.

"A week for now but I've got some things I need to square away first. My college just dropped its athletic program scholarship by 25% and I was one of the unlucky students who were canned." Maya told them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Isn't there anything you can do?" Aria asked.

"Yeah, Spencer knows the ADA so maybe we can get you some legal advice." Will pointed out.

"Thanks but it's not a legal issue. It's more of a money issue. My academic counselor said my next best thing besides paying for my full tuition would be trying to get an athletic scholarship transfer to another university." Maya told them. "I'm looking around at the moment so hopefully something will pan out."

"Something will happen for sure, I know it." Emily assured her and the two shared a quick kiss. "Maybe I can talk to the coach for you and you could come to Starling University?"

"Thanks, Em but don't think you're obligated to do it. Just set me up a meeting and I'll take it from there." Maya told her.

"It will for sure. Emily's gonna have some sway with the coach and the athletic department after breaking a school record and guaranteeing the school's placement in the regional finals." Will added. "And if you need any additional help, I've got some sway with a few professors who might be able to help."

"Thanks, Will." Maya replied before looking at Emily. "I hope I didn't bring down the mood. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Yeah, we are." Emily assured her.

"What's tonight?" Aria asked.

"We have a date tonight after you go and pick up Toby for tomorrow's Halloween party." Emily told her. "I've been planning it for a while so hopefully everything goes ok."

"It will. Your friend is quite the romantic." Maya said.

"Is she?" Spencer playfully asked.

"Oh yeah. Walks in the rain, picnics by the water, dancing naked in candlelight." Emily said which got her funny looks from all of them. "I'm just kidding. We got to dinner and a movie just like everyone else."

"Well she's not entirely kidding. Emily would love to do all those things…" Maya tried to go on, but Emily cut her off. It was very cute.

Will's cellphone went off and he checked to see it was Yuri. "Sorry, I need to take this." Will stood up and walked away to answer. "Yuri, what's up?"

 _"_ _I've got a new lead on the Big Man and the Smythes. Can we meet on the roof of the precinct in 20 minutes?"_ She asked.

"Yeah, I'll be right there." He told her before hanging up. He walked back over to the table and finished his soda quickly before grabbing his bag. "Sorry about that but I've got to go."

"Everything ok?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, just uh…Yuri from the science department needs my help with something. It's a big project." Will told her and the girls and his mom knew what he really meant. "You know us science nerds. We never stop working. I'll be back later. Just enjoy today and be happy, I'll see you girls later."

"Ok, be careful." Aria told him. Will knelt and gave her a quick kiss before grabbing his backpack and leaving.

"He's not at all like the science majors I know. I assume you girls had something to do with that." Maya said.

"That we did but we can't take all the credit. A lot of that charm was already there, we just needed to bring it out." Aria replied.

Will walked out of Big Belly Burger and rushed into a nearby alley. He double checked for cameras and bystanders but saw he was clear and quickly changed. One super jump and web zip sent him high into the air. Spider-man began web swinging through the city like he always did with his usual flair and style. Nearby pedestrians who saw him swing through the air cheered his name and applauded. He waved to them as he swung down to the ground and even managed to high-five a few. He flipped through the air and landed on the side of a school bus. The kids inside the bus saw him and began going crazy.

"Hey, kids! Remember, stay in school! Focus on your studies, eat your vegetables, and listen to your parents!" He shouted before running on the side of the bus and jumping into the air before web swinging away. He eventually made his way through the city and landed on the roof of the police precinct where Yuri was waiting for him. "Sorry I'm late. I had a lunch date. What's up?"

"I managed to get a possible lead on another operation of the Big Man's. After I found the CCTV footage of Smythe in the city, I put the word out to a few of my CI's and one came back with a lead." Yuri handed him a file with a photo of a warehouse on the east side of the side along with various accompanying photos of strange vehicles coming and going. Smythe must be up to something big there.

"Well, time for me to find out what the Big Man is having Smythe build and to take down another pawn in this game of chess we're playing. Thanks, Yuri. Wish me luck!" He front-flipped off the roof and web swung away.

"Call if you need help!" she shouted at his fleeing figure before he swung around a building.

He quickly made his way over to the warehouse on the east side of the city, swinging from building to building with the gracefulness and agility that months of experience got him. Flips, spins, and impossible air tricks were common place for him after all the web swinging through the city. It was as easy as walking to him now.

After a few minutes he landed in a crouched position on the rooftop of a building across the street from the warehouse and he began to get a funny felling. A spider-sense feeling like _something's not right here_. "Something's not right here." He said to himself before using his enhanced vision to zoom in on the warehouse to look for anything out of the ordinary. He adjusted his eyes and switched to his night vision and saw the faint glow of a laser sight at the warehouse. He tracked the sight to a building about 500 meters to the east. "I knew I smelled a trap."

In said building, a lone sniper was perched in his vantage point on an empty floor with his sight set on the warehouse 500 meters away. The floor was under construction so there were tarps all over the place covering construction equipment and it was empty. Said sniper was crouched by a pillar near the edge so he had an unobstructed view of his target. He was wearing his own custom combat gloves which included a belt of 7.62 mm sniper rounds over his chest, tactical bulletproof vest, two 9mm Beretta pistols on his belt, two wrist mounted machine pistols on each arm and finally a special cybernetic right eye. This was Floyd Lawton or as he was known to the world as **Deadshot** , the world's greatest marksman. Currently under the employ of a secret ARGUS initiative known as Task Force X, or more colloquially known as the _Suicide Squad_.

 ** _"_** ** _Harbinger to Deadshot, any sign of the target?"_** Came over the comm channel.

"Deadshot to Harbinger. Negative on any sign of the target. I haven't seen anything coming or going. Shouldn't he be here by now?" Deadshot asked, checking around the area with his cybernetic eye. The eye was able to adjust his vision so he could see the warehouse clearly from this far away and check the perimeter.

 ** _"_** ** _Stay on alert. Target should be here soon."_** Harbinger replied.

"Roger that." Deadshot replied, ending the conversation only for something to snag his leg and yank him into the air. He hung upside down and before he could reach a knife or do anything with his guns, his machine pistols were yanked from his arms, his pistols were taken away, his arms were tied to his side, his feet were tangled together, and something covered his mouth. Deadshot struggled to try and get free but he was tied up tight and whatever was holding him was sticky and extremely strong. He looked around and saw Spider-man lower himself upside down from a web.

"If I'm the target then it's a good thing that I knew something was off." Spider-man mock tipped his hat before webbing him up even more and turning him into a web cocoon with his head left uncovered. "You just stay here, and I'll go spring said trap."

Spider-man finished webbing up Deadshot from head to toe before heading to the warehouse to spring the trap but on his terms. He crawled through a skylight window and got himself in his signature upside down spider perch. He fired a web at the ceiling and slowly lowered himself to the ground and was met with an empty warehouse. "Yoo-hoo! Anyone home?!"

He dropped to the ground and walked around for a bit. "Huh, guess the tenants must have moved out. If I didn't know any better, I would say this feels like a trap."

His hearing picked up distinct ruffling and whistling of air associated with a flying projectile and saw two metal boomerangs fly from the darkness and head straight for him. He did a backflip to avoid the boomerangs which flew around the warehouse before swerving around and heading back at him. He then moved into a butterfly spin just in time as the metal boomerangs skimmed past his suit. Close enough that you'd piss your pants but not close enough that they cut. The arachnid hero landed in a crouch while the boomerangs flew back to whoever threw them.

His spider-sense went off so he jumped high into the air to avoid a barrage of bullets and clung to the side of the wall before flipping off to avoid several icicle shards that would have made him Swiss Cheese before firing a web and pulling himself to the side to avoid breath of fire. He landed on the ground and four individuals stepped out from the shadows so he could get a good look. The first person was wearing a large trench coat over some military style clothing indicating a former soldier or something along those lines. He had two metal boomerangs in his hands along with several more in their little bands on his trench coat and vest. This is Digger Harkness, formerly of the Australian ASIS now mercenary for hire. Spider-man's codename for the attacker: **Captain Boomerang.**

The next person was a large build of a man showing he was strong and deadly. He was wearing a black combat uniform with red stripes along the legs and torso. A black mask with red lines down the eyes and special eye piece was on his head and the symbol of a red star was on his belt next to a scythe crossed with a hammer. One his right fist was a pair of spiked brass knuckles and on his left was a specialized machine gun arm. This is Anatoli Konstantin, former member of the KGB now mercenary for hire. Spider-man's codename for the attacker: **KGBeast.**

The third person was wearing dark blue/black and white thick cold weather gear like he was going on an expedition to Mount Everest. He had white boots with a black/blue and white thick combat winter coat with detailed edges that kind of resembled ice. On his head was a white cap with an angled edge and soft point that kind of resembled a snow point. His beard and eyebrows slightly frosted because of the large weapon he was carrying. It looked like a cross between a grenade launcher and a bazooka but with a mish-mash of wires, circuits, electrical equipment and some kind of blue power sphere in the back and judging by the exhales of visible air he was seeing from the guy, it was probably cold related. This is Dr. Joar Mahkent, former award-winning scientist turned criminal. Spider-man's codename for the attacker: **Icicle**

The fourth person was different than the last three who were dressed in combat-like clothes, but this man was dressed in regular clothes. Boot, jeans, a white shirt and varsity Leatherman jacket. Besides his different clothes, his body was adorned with various intricate tattoos that pretty much covered him from head to toe. Unlike the previous villains, something in his eyes indicated he wasn't here by choice and wasn't taking pleasure in what he was doing. This was Chato Santana, former notorious gang leader from Los Angeles with mysterious fire powers until a tragic accident led him here. Spider-man's codename for the attacker: **El Diablo**

"I'm guessing this isn't a costume party and you're just angry that I didn't bring any party favors?" Spider-man asked. "Although if you give me five minutes I'll come back with some chips and dip."

He then heard a series of rapid loud and thumping steps like a large man was running at him and judging by his spider-sense going off it wasn't good. He quickly jumped into the air to avoid whatever it was but that was a mistake as a large hand grabbed his leg. He was slammed onto the ground hard but managed to get a look at his attacker. It was a large burly bodybuilder/wrestler from hell. Wearing heavy duty combat boots and pants, Kevlar/armored vest with a scary luchador/devil mask but if that wasn't odd enough, he had two special wrist devices with tubes connected to something on his back and an extra tube on the back of his head. This was the famous supervillain and criminal brawler, the one who broke the bat… **Bane**.

"Oh boy. What did I do to piss off the WWE?" Spider-man asked before quickly webbing Bane in the face which caused him to let go. He then back flipped over the massive luchador, kicked out his left leg before putting him in a head scissor lock and throwing him at other four which caused them to scatter. His spider-sense went off again as an agile figure leapt from the darkness at him, ready to tear him in half only for him to quickly move into an aerial twist and avoid whoever attacked him and then into a triple backflip to avoid another attacker. He wasn't out of woods yet as a baseball tried to knock him from behind, but a duck and leg trip took care of that. He then moved into four backhand springs and then a backflip to get some distance and see who was attacking him.

The second attacker was a woman, judging by the long flowing red hair and black crop top and sport shorts she was wearing but then things got weird. She was covered in orange fur and black spots like an animal, her ears were elongated, and her nails and toes were sharpened and angular like claws…not to mention the long tail on her butt. Around her neck was a cat faced necklace and the eyes were glowing green. This was Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, former Archaeologist now cursed metahuman. Spider-man's codename for her: **Cheetah**.

His third attacker was human, a black man wearing regular clothes altered for combat. He had an orange jacket on that had animal like stripes all over and a set of dog tags around his neck. On his fists were a pair of specialized brass knuckles but instead of just being knuckles, they had three elongated blades. This was Ben Turner, former soldier now mercenary. Spider-man's codename for this guy… **Bronze Tiger**.

And last but not least, his final attacker was a woman but there was something…very odd about her. Her skin was pale and the look on her face indicated someone you definitely didn't want to mess with if you wanted to have your limbs still attached to your body. Her white/blonde hair was done up in pigtails, with one colored pink and the other colored blue which were also the colors of her eye shadow and she had dark red lipstick. She was the most scantily clad of the group, even compared to the cheetah. She was wearing boots, knee high black and red socks or stocking, red and black underwear/shorts, and a black and red leather tank top designed with spades and diamonds like you would find on playing cards. This was Dr. Harleen Quinzel, former psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum in Gotham now crazed villain and maniac who worked for the Joker… **Harley Quinn**. She was the most dangerous of them all.

All eight supervillains gathered together and stared down their target…which was unfortunately Spider-man and after seeing them all together…he began to get a little nervous. "Oh, dear lord." Spider-man stood up straight and cleared his throat. "I don't suppose this is just a case of you guys waiting for someone else in superhero tights because if it is, I'm more than happy to scram and keep my mouth shut. Contrary to popular belief I can do that."

"Oh, it seems to me like the little spider…is scared." Cheetah taunted, ready to tear him in half.

"Down, kitty. Spider-man doesn't want any part of this…" He said, taking a cautionary step back.

 ** _"_** ** _Harbinger to team, target is confirmed. You are clear to engage. Waller wants him alive."_** Harbinger ordered over their comms that Spider-man overheard because he jacked Deadshot's ear comm before he webbed him up.

"Oh crap. Why doesn't anyone ever want to talk this out?" He asked as the villains charged. KGBeast fired a barrage of bullets that was avoided with TD raiz backflip into a corkscrew spin. Cheetah leapt forward, pushing her claws out to tear his mask off only for him to fall to his back and kick her into the air before firing a web and pulling himself up to avoid Bane's crushing blow. He swung through the air and kicked Cheetah into Bane when Icicle froze his webbing with his ice blaster. Spider-man fell through the air but fell into a roll, shooting a web line at Icicle's foot and yanking it so he fell onto El Diablo. Bronze Tiger and Captain Boomerang brought their weapons down on him only for Spider-man to do a back handspring vault out of the way. Their weapons hit the ground and a web grenade tied the two of them together.

He landed on his feet and then quickly side flipped to avoid a stream of fire from El Diablo. Harley Quinn charged with her bat that he avoided by sliding on his knees and then moved into a gainer flip to avoid KGBeast. The Russian mercenary turned to fire only for a web to yank his machine gun arm out of its socket, so he pulled out his knife and tried to slice up the web head but was too slow. Swipes and stabs but he couldn't hit anything. Spider-man ducked under a knife swipe to the head, so it shattered against Bane's armored vest who tried to attack him from behind. The spider rolled through the luchador's legs and web pulled KGBeast into the massive man with enough force that it was like hitting a stone wall. Bane was fine but KGBeast was stunned.

"Get out of my way." Bane picked up KGBeast and threw him into the wall, knocking him out but Spider-man shot some webs just to be safe. One down, seven more to go.

Bane attacked with fury and while you'd think with his massive size, he'd be slow, he was surprisingly quick. A furious three punch combo followed up by a massive hammer strike that missed and made a crack in the ground only further infuriating Bane that he couldn't this arachnid. Spider-man jumped onto Bane's hand, ran up his arm like a ramp and jumped high into the air before tossing down two web grenades that ensnared the brawler. Now he was pissed. Before he fell to the ground, Cheetah tackled him through the air and the two wrestled on the ground. Cheetah managed to wrestle her way on top of Spider-man and brought down her claw to her neck, but he held her back.

"You smell of fear, spider." Cheetah taunted and she sniffed him. From the glint in her eyes, she was having fun toying with him. "All my prey smell of ear before I kill them."

"That's not fear…it's Ralph Lauren Cologne." He quipped, firing a web at her tail and giving it a harsh tug that made her scream in pain. With her distracted, he headbutted her in the face and kicked her into the air before flipping forward, firing another web at her, spinning her around in the air and throwing her into El Diablo.

Captain Boomerang threw two boomerangs at him before pulling out two more for close quarters combat. He sliced and chopped with the razor end of the boomerangs, but Spider-man was too quick, and his spider-sense made dodging easy. Spider-man threw out a kick that knocked one of his boomerangs away before quickly doing a butterfly spin to avoid the boomerangs from behind. Captain Boomerang ducked under his own boomerangs which was his own undoing as Spider-man flipped over him and webbed his trench coat. When he landed, he gave it a harsh tug and ripped it in half, spilling the boomerangs onto the floor. Before Boomerang could reach any of them, they were all encased by a web grenade and he got a shoe to the chin via a gainer kick. The kick lifted him off his feet, but Spider-man then fired a web and slammed him face first into the pavement before encasing him in a web cocoon. Now only six more to go.

His spider-sense acted up again, so he back flipped to avoid a stream of fire. El Diablo pushed him to the center of the warehouse with his fire but when Spider-man landed his feet slipped on a sheet of ice. He got up only for Bane to charge and slam him into the ground before throwing him into a wall.

"Ugh…that's gonna hurt tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day." Spider-man got back up to his feet as Bane, El Diablo, Icicle, Cheetah, Harley Quinn, and Bronze Tiger surrounded him.

"You're outnumbered, insect. You may take out one or two of us, but you cannot win." Bane told him.

"What the big guy said. If you wouldn't mind hurrying this up, I've got a cartoon special DVR'd back in my cell." Harley said before holding up her bat in a menacing manner. "If you make me miss it than I might just bash your head in!"

"Wow, you're just a bundle of sunshine, aren't you?" Spider-man asked.

"You have nowhere to run, Spider-man." Icicle held up his ice gun, ready to turn the hero into a statue. "Give up or you get to know what an ice sculpture feels like."

"While part of me is curious to know what that feels like…I'm not running. I'm just waiting for backup." Spider-man smirked under his mask when something exploded in the ceiling, dropping a bunch of debris that collapsed on Bane and caused the others to scatter. Icicle aimed his ice gun only for an arrow to hit the cyro-engine, causing it to malfunction. A grapple line was fired into the ground and the Arrow zipped down, kicking Icicle in the face and knocking him into the wall. He fired a jettisoning arrow and wrapped Icicle so he couldn't do anything. El Diablo was about to fry the Arrow when a web flung the ice gun at him, causing it to explode and partially freeze the fire controlling gang leader. A harsh kick to the face knocked him out and he was soon wrapped up in webbing. Two down, four more left.

The Arrow walked over to the wrapped-up supervillain as Spider-man dropped down from the ceiling. "Thanks for coming. Glad you decided to show up." He said as the Arrow gave him a look.

Line Break xxxxx

 _Flash back, twenty minutes ago…_

 _Having taken the ear comm piece and wrapped up Deadshot, Spider-man knew he was walking into a trap. He decided to make a quick call to Yuri._

 _"_ _Yuri, it's me. You might want to get that lead from your CI checked out because I think this is a trap. I could use some backup here soon." He told her._

 _"_ _Why, what's wrong?" Yuri asked._

 _"_ _Well, on the way here I found a sniper set up about a quarter of a mile away and he's not some simple street enforcer. Hang on." He walked over and unwrapped the webbing around Deadshot's face. "Say cheese."_

 _Deadshot screamed at him as Spider-man snapped the photo before webbing him back up. "I just sent you a pic. This is the guy."_

 _Yuri was at her computer and checked her email. Once she saw his face, she knew who he was. "That's Deadshot." Yuri said, knowing full well of his reputation. He was the prime suspect in several shootings in the city in the past and for the one at the business auction three years ago before he vanished. "Floyd Lawton. Professional hitman. You're right. Something is up."_

 _"_ _And judging by the code name Harbinger and target talk I overhead, something tells me he's not working for the Big Man."_

 _"_ _All right, I'll scramble some units and be there soon." Yuri told him before hanging up. Playing it more safe than sorry, he decided to make a call to Captain Lance._

 _"_ _Spider-man. Can't say I was expecting a call from you today." Lance said, sitting at his desk in his office going over some paperwork._

 _"_ _Well, I like to mix it up on occasion. Are you busy?" He asked._

 _"_ _No but something tells me I'm going to be soon." Lance told him._

 _"_ _That assumption would be right. If you hear the sound of fighting and explosions or Yuri tells you about a situation at a warehouse, then understand it's me. One more thing, I need you to put me in contact with the Arrow." Spider-man said and Lance was a little confused and conflicted about doing that._

 _"_ _Why do you need to talk to him?" Lance asked._

 _"_ _Call it a professional courtesy. It's about time he and I had a talk…about a lot of things." Spider-man said. "Don't worry, Captain. You can trust me."_

 _Lance hesitated for a second, but he had decided to trust Will and so far, it's been working for him so maybe this would too. "All right. I'll send you the number."_

 _"_ _Thanks, Captain." Will hung up and then dialed the number he sent._

 _In the Arrowcave, Felicity was at her computer doing some work while Oliver and Roy were in the middle of a training session. Dig was home with baby Sara. Oliver and Roy were fighting hand to hand but more like Oliver fighting and Roy struggling to keep up. Oliver avoided Roy's sloppy punch and tripped him up with a leg sweep._

 _"_ _Oh, crap." Roy groaned in pain as Oliver helped him back to his feet._

 _"_ _You've been off your game the past couple of days. Are you all right?" Oliver asked as Roy gave him a look._

 _"_ _Sorry, just give me a minute I didn't think I would ever see a concerned look on your face." Roy joked._

 _"_ _Of course, I'm concerned Roy. I'm your teacher and lately you haven't been at your best." Oliver told him._

 _"_ _I haven't been getting the best sleep." Roy said but before the conversation could continue Felicity's phone rang. She checked it and was a number she didn't recognize. Maybe it was from work or a telemarketer, so she answered it._

 _"_ _Hello, Felicity Smoak?" She answered._

 _"_ _Hello, I'm looking for Oliver Queen. I don't suppose you could put me in touch with him?" he asked only for Felicity to go wide-eyed. Oliver and Roy stopped what they were doing when they saw her expression. "I'm a friend of his…well, I'm not actually a friend. Oh, hell I don't know what we are, but I could really talk to him right now…unless this is in fact the wrong number and I'm talking to the wrong person in which case I'm sorry."_

 _"_ _Can I ask who's calling?" Felicity answered, putting the phone on speaker while she traced the call._

 _"_ _I'm a…an acquaintance. We met on a rooftop about a week ago." The man replied and Oliver knew it was Spider-man. He nodded to her and picked up the phone._

 _"_ _What do you want?" Oliver asked._

 _"_ _Yeesh, what's with the hostility, Oliver? I thought we were simpatico now? I'm here to help and now you understand that. And if this Felicity person is the pretty blonde, I helped rescue from Brother Eye then you know I just want to help. I guess being grouching is your default mood now." He joked which caused Roy and Felicity to slightly chuckle. "Relax, I'm not snooping on you right now or hacking you. I talked to Captain Lance and he gave me a number to contact and don't worry, I didn't tell him who you are. I figured you'd do that on your own when you're ready, but I'd wait a while on that. He's still a little upset."_

 _"_ _Thanks for the heads up. Now why did you call?" Oliver asked._

 _"_ _Well, I think I have something that might be a little much for me and I could use some backup. Sketchy warehouse that reeks of trap, a trap designed to lure me here by the way, and considering Deadshot is here, I figured you'd want in on this." Spider-man told him. Once they heard the name Deadshot that got their attention. "Hang on, I can send a pic via text."_

 _They waited a few minutes a text message arrived that showed Deadshot's gagged face. Oliver showed it to Felicity and Roy, Spider-man was telling the truth. "What's going on?" Oliver asked._

 _"_ _Not entirely sure but he was waiting for me and talked to someone called Harbinger. I may have been at this for only a year, but I know a trap when I see one. I'm going to spring said trap, but I figured I could use some backup and it could help improve our relationship. The warehouse is on the east side of town on Brown avenue by 4_ _th_ _street. I'm heading in soon but I'm hoping you'll show up too." Spider-man said before hanging up._

 _Felicity showed them the trace she put on the call and it was at the signal at a tower about a quarter mile away from the warehouse he was talking about. "So, what are you doing to do, Oliver?" Roy asked._

 _"_ _You saw the photo. Floyd Lawton is there." Felicity added._

 _"_ _Roy, get suited up. I want you on the perimeter in case something happened." Oliver said and Roy nodded. The two grabbed their bows and suited up._

 _End flashback_

 **"** **It's a good thing I did show up or else you'd be dead."** Oliver told him.

"Egh, maybe a bit of an exaggeration. I probably could have handled it. I was just waiting for you. By the way, what took you so long?" Spider-man asked only for them to get surrounded. Bane burst out from the pile he was buried under and glared at the heroes as Cheetah stalked up beside him, flexing her claws. Bronze Tiger looked at the Arrow and smiled at the chance to get even while Harley Quinn twirled her bat around and whistled. "I'll take El Magnifico and the feisty feline while you deal with Wolverine and the baseball enthusiast."

 **"** **Shut up and fight."** He replied as the two moved into action. The Arrow fired an arrow at Bronze Tiger which he split apart and used his bow to fend off Harley's baseball bat while Spider-man handled Bane and Cheetah. The Arrow ducked under the bat and kicked Harley back before engaging in a claw to bow fight with Bronze Tiger. The clawed mercenary swiped and slashed but was thwarted at each attack by a bow or missed. Harley came by with her baseball bat and swung but missed and smacked one of Tiger's claws out of his hand. Tiger got a gut shot and an uppercut to the face before being pushed back. Harley swung with her bat with finesse and skill, but the Arrow's training and combat prowess made up for that only for the female villain to slide between his legs and hit him in the back with her bat.

He quickly turned and blocked her next attack before punching her in the face and kicking her back. "Oh, so rude. Usually I'm bought a drink before things get physical. Harley attacked with her bat but was blocked and parried each time by a bow. She kicked him back before moving into a front flip and landed a head scissor takedown on the emerald vigilante. "You're good but not as good as the Bat!" She raised her bat to bash his brains in, but he raised his bow to stop her. He pushed her off and kicked her in the face before flipping back to his feet and throwing down a flashbang dart. It concussed Harley long enough for another dart to knock her bat away followed up by a restraint arrow that knocked her back into a wall and wrapped her in wires. "I take it back. You're as good as the Bat."

Bronze Tiger resumed his fight with the Arrow while Spider-man dealt with Bane and Cheetah. Bane attacked with various quick strikes and kicks that showed he wasn't just muscle but skill as well. He was skilled and super strong, but Spider-man was faster. He ducked and dodged Bane's massive fists and slid between his legs before moving into a butterfly spin to avoid Cheetah's lunge. Her claws narrowly sliced his suit as he flipped over her and landed on the ground into two more backhand springs and then into double backflip. Mid-flip he webbed some crates and threw them at the villains, but Bane just barreled through them like nothing. The masked supervillain charged forward like a bull and was ready to smash the bug into dust only for several globs of impact webbing and web lines to turn him into a mummy.

Bane was momentarily taken care of, but Cheetah was still an issue. She jumped off Bane's webbed body and lunged at the spider who flipped to the side and then leaned back to avoid a claw swipe to the face. He leaned back onto his hands and kicked Cheetah in the face before doing a kip-up and slamming his feet into her torso. Cheetah hit the ground and rolled back to her feet, growling in anger as she flexed her sharp claws.

"You have skill and tenacity, spider. But I've dealt with much stronger than you." Cheetah taunted him.

"Really? But I'm wondering how those encounters actually ended. There's a difference between fighting someone stronger and actually wining." He quipped while discretely reaching into his belt.

"I've found your quirks to be amusing for a moment. That moment has passed." Cheetah leaped at him and swiped her claws in a tremendous deluge of feline fury but wasn't able to land a hit which just further irked her. Her she was, Cheetah, huntress of the jungle having gone hand to claw with some of the deadliest men on the planet and even a woman who could be called a demi-god and many had felt the sting of her claws. Yet here was this annoying insect who was not only able to keep up with her but was doing everything he could to aggravate her.

She slashed with her claws before throwing out a leg sweep that Spider-man leapt over in a flip. He grabbed her tail and gave it a harsh tug. Cheetah let out a painful scream that was a mix of a human shout and a cat shriek. That was only the beginning of her troubles as she was pulled by her tail and spun around by Spider-man. The spider-themed superhero spun around on his feet while holding Cheetah's tail like a top before finally letting go and sending her flying into a metal pole with a loud thunk and clang. Cheetah hit the ground, dazed and confused but managed to get to her feet only to get hit by several globs and strands of webbing. The webbing wrapped around her body and stuck her claws to her side along with securing her feet, tail, and webbing her mouth shut. To finish it off, he grabbed a large steel girder and using his super strength he bent it around her as an added layer of restraint before finishing it off with one last glob of impact webbing.

"Now that should keep you all tied up and safe. We don't want you running away and turning into a stray. I'm sure your owner will come get you." He joked as he rubbed Cheetah on the head like she was a pet. Suffice to say that Cheetah was beyond pissed and wanted to disembowel him.

The Arrow finished up his fight with Bronze Tiger by disarming him of his last claw, throwing out several punches and kicks to the head and body before spin kicking him back and firing a restraint arrow that pinned him to the wall. He struggled to get free only for a glob of impact webbing to help with the capture. Spider-man landed next to the Arrow and the two took another look around to see all the villains dealt with and tied up.

"Well…that was fun. Our first team up went pretty well, don't you think?" Spider-man asked only for Oliver to ignore him and pulled back an arrow aimed right at Bronze Tiger's face.

 **"** **You have one warning, Turner. What does Waller want?"** The Emerald Archer was ready to shoot him to get answers. Having these many villains appear in the city was a serious concern and from what Dig told him about Task Force X last year than Waller wanted something.

"Like she tells us anything. All I know is she sent us here for him and that's it. Didn't know I'd get the chance to get even with you again." Turner glared at him.

"I feel like I'm missing something here. Anyone mind filling me in?" Spider-man asked.

 **"** **They were waiting here for you. You're their target."** Oliver told him.

"Yeah, I got that. But why? Who or what is a Waller?" Spider-man questioned but before he could get any answers, he had one more problem to deal with. His spider-sense began to tingle which was followed up by the sound of loud thumping and ripping. He and the Arrow turned to see Bane had ripped himself free of his web cocoon and the glare from his mask indicated he wasn't happy. "Is it just me or does he look angry?"

"You have skill, Spider. I'll admit this. But enough child games. Now it is time to end this." Bane pressed a button on his wrist and a green liquid began flowing into tubes in his arms and head. Bane's pupils began to turn green along with his veins which began to bulge and glow green as well.

"That's not a good thing, is it?" Spider-man asked.

 **"** **No, it's not."** Oliver quickly fired an arrow only for it to shatter against Bane's skin as whatever liquid that was being injected into his system began to increase his durability and judging by how his body and muscle mass began to expand, it was probably doing something to his strength.

"AAARRRGGGHHHHHH!" Bane let out an inhuman roar or pain and or ferocity as his venom serum began to increase his body and muscle mass, so he was now even larger than he was before, and he was already very large. He was a large hulk of a human being and judging by the murderous look in his eyes…he had some heroes he wanted to squish.

Spider-man quickly fired several globs of impact webbing until his web shooters were dry and wrapped up the hulked-out Bane like a present, but the masked luchador was easily able to rip free like he was wrapped in toilet paper. "Ok…that's really bad."

"NOW, I CRUSH YOU!" Bane charged forward and brought his fists down to squish them into pieces, but they managed to move out of the way just in time. Spider-man flipped to the side and quickly ejected his spent web cartridges only for Bane to charge before he could reload. He managed to narrowly dodge a punch to the head that smashed the wall behind him and the brush of wind that followed through wasn't a good sign either. Spider-man then spun on his knees to avoid a spartan kick that would have knocked him through the warehouse. He lashed out with several quick kicks to Bane's stomach and face only for the masked hulk to catch his foot on the last kick. Judging by the glare on his face, he wasn't happy.

"Oh, crap." Spider-man was then yanked around like a ragdoll and slammed repeatedly into the wall or ground. Several arrows hit him in the back. Some were embedded into his armor while others broke against his venom-enhanced skin. Bane's response was using Spider-man as a club and hitting the Arrow away like a flyball. The archer hit the ground with a loud thud before Spider-man joined him. "Oh my god that hurts. I think I broke something…or a lot of somethings."

The loud thumping steps of Bane picked up indicating that he was charging so kicked Oliver out of the way before quickly doing a backhand spring to avoid the attack. Bane's fists smashed into the ground, cracking the pavement and concrete but missed both heroes. He felt a weight on his back as Spider-man landed on him and used his sticky powers to hold on.

"You need a serious chill pill, El Luchador." He grabbed two web grenades and placed them on his back before backflipping away. The web bombs went off and tied up Bane in a cocoon allowing him to reload his web shooters. Oliver fired two explosive arrows at the ceiling which destroyed some loose and old metal I-beams. They dropped onto Bane's web cocoon and normally that'd be the ending but that wasn't the case. He ripped free of the webbing and lifted the heavy metal I-beams up like they were sticks before throwing them at the heroes. Oliver managed to roll out of the way in time while Spider-man leapt over it instead, firing a web at it before flipping and using the momentum to hurl it back at Bane. That didn't work as well as Bane just knocked it aside and charged.

"Enough of this, shit. Time to end this. I've got a date." Will charged forward to meet Bane. While it may have been seen as suicide, for a superhero like Will it wasn't.

Once he was close, he jumped and did a flying knee right into Bane's face, knocking him onto his backside. He jumped onto Bane's stomach and quickly flipped off before he was grabbed. Bane got up and was pelted with web bullets before Spider-man web slingshot forward and slammed into his chest feet first, knocking him back. Bane managed to get back to his feet quickly and threw out a punch that missed while Spider-man responded with his own punch that hurt a lot more. Given Bane's enhanced state Will didn't hold back anymore. Bane just kept throwing punch after punch but kept missing while Spider-man responded back with punches and kicks at every opening he could find. Bane was getting more frustrated and thus more erratic and less disciplined which was a bad thing.

Spider-man ducked under a punch and did a leg sweep, knocking Bane onto one knee before doing a scissor throw. The masked venom mercenary tumbled onto the ground before getting hit in the face by Spider-man doing a butterfly kick and then a backhand spring kick to the chin that knocked him back. Bane recovered quickly and managed to grab the arachnid hero around the neck and began squeezing with both hands.

"NOW YOU DIE, INSECT!" Bane shouted as he forced the hero to his knees. The masked mercenary smiled in revelry at his victory while Oliver watched from a vantage point on the ceiling, aiming an arrow to help when he noticed Will rise from his knees. The hero grabbed Bane's hands and slowly got back to his feet displaying a tremendous show of strength which only got greater as he slowly removed Bane's hands from his neck with his own super strength. Bane's cocky expression of revelry soon turned into one of concern as Spider-man stood straight up and fully removed his hands from his neck and was holding him back. The concern then turned into one of slight fear as Spider-man began squeezing and twisting Bane's large hands with strength that hurt.

"Spider's aren't insects…we're arachnids!" He dropped kicked Bane in the face and back flipped in the air before web zipping back and nailing a flying kick to his jaw. From the flying kick, he leapt off Bane in a corkscrew spin before firing two webs at the tubes on the back of his head and left arm respectively. Once he landed, he gave a super strength tug and both tubes disconnected and began spilling venom all over the floor.

"NO!" Bane scrambled to try and reconnect the tubes, but he wasn't going to get the chance. Spider-man quickly closed the distance and struck with a super strength punch to the face, kick to the stomach, jumping knee to the chin, an elbow to the left shoulder, a spinning hook kick to the side of the head, several speed punches to the stomach and chest, a venom shock infused punch to the solar plexus and finished it all off with a kick to the groin.

Other than the painful groans and squeaks one would get after a shot to the nether region, Bane didn't move an inch. That's because of the venom infused punch to the solar plexus. He made sure that one had enough juice to paralyze every single muscle in Bane's body. Spider-man did a cartoonish finger point and gently poked Bane on the chest who comically fell down like slab of wood, both from the paralysis and being unconscious from the barrage of attacks.

"Finally. He should be a poster for the caution of drug use." Spider-man said, taking a deep breath and slumping over to catch his breath. He lifted the large and heavy man with his super strength and tied him up with his webbing and used some extra steel pipes as an extra measure. Police sirens could be heard and were closing in fast. "You should probably get out of here. I'll take care of this."

 **"** **Thanks."** Oliver replied before firing a grapple arrow and leaving.

Detective Watanabe soon arrived with a squad car of uniformed police officers and they entered the warehouse to see seven colorfully dressed bad guys tied up and suspended from the ceiling via a thick web with the eight and largest one laying down on the ground wrapped in webbing and several steel pipes. On the floor next to him were the words _you'll need a truck for him_ carved via a sharpened steel pipe.

"Get on the radio with the captain. We're gonna need a wagon and a truck." Yuri told one of them who immediately contacted SCPD headquarters.

About fifteen minutes later several squad cars arrived with a police transport van and a large truck. CSU teams were doing their job in the warehouse and took all the samples and surveyed the area while also taking all the weapons from the supervillains. Suffice to say that a freeze gun and several dozen boomerangs were put into plastic bags. Captain Boomerang, KGBeast, Icicle, El Diablo, Cheetah, Bronze Tiger, and Harley Quinn were handcuffed before being placed into the van under heavy guard. Once their faces were run through the SCPD database and they were all identified then Captain Lance ordered extra officers as a precaution and even came himself.

"Never did I expect to see this today." Lance commented as he watched several of his officers' work with the paramedics to wheel Bane into the truck on a gurney since he still couldn't move. "Three mercenaries, two escaped elemental maniacs, a mutated cat girl, one Arkham Escapee and Bane himself. The Mayor wasn't exactly thrilled when she learned about this."

"At least they're taken care of. Good thing about Spider-man though what they're doing here in the first place is the bigger concern." Yuri pointed out. "I had our guys back at the station check and every single one of these idiots were either dead or in jail as of yesterday. How did they get here?"

"One of the many questions we'll ask down at the station." Lance told her when several blacked-out sedans and a large armored vehicle arrived. Several men in black tactical gear armed with assault rifles stepped out followed by agents in suits and leading them was a woman. Lance, Yuri, and the other officers kept their hands trained on their guns. Something was up. "Whoa, what's going on? This is a closed crime scene. I'm gonna need you all to leave now."

"Captain Lance, Agent Lyla Michaels." Lyla flashed her badge and they saw the ARGUS logo. "We're going to be taking possession of these individuals from now on."

"Why?" Yuri asked as the ARGUS agents walked over and took the supervillains from police custody. "What does eight escaped maniacs have to do with ARGUS?"

"That's need to know and above your paygrade." She bluntly put it as her agents took Bane into custody. "Any further intervention from the SCPD is ill-advised. This is an internal ARGUS matter."

"Like setting up a perimeter around Starling City and keeping everyone from leaving during Deathstroke's attack in the summer?" Lance asked which shocked Lyla that he knew. "I know all about agency hearsay and that's not enough. What's going on and why is ARGUS concerned with these killers in my city? Someone could have gotten killed today."

"I'm sorry Captain but this is an ARGUS matter and we don't answer to you. Whatever you think is happening here is now what happened." Lyla assured him.

"You mean like sending 9 supervillains to try and kill me?" They heard as Lyla looked up to see Spider-man perched up on the street light with Floyd Lawton strung up in a web cocoon. "If you're going to take down the Spectacular Spider-man then you should have sent more bad guys to try and kill me…Harbinger."

"I have no idea who that is." Lyla quickly responded.

"Are you sure because I could have sworn that Deadshot here was reporting to a Harbinger who ordered these maniacs to attack me? Then again, I could be mistaken but I have a way to find out. Lucky for us, Deadshot's phone has a call back feature. Shall we find out who Harbinger is?" He joked before pressing a button on the phone Deadshot used to call Harbinger only for a cellphone to go off on Lyla's person. "Oh…very suspect, Agent Michaels. That doesn't sound good."

"Agents, take Spider-man into custody!" Lyla ordered as the agents quickly raised their guns at him only for Yuri, Lance and the SCPD to raise their guns at ARGUS. "Tell your men to stand down, Captain Lance."

"You first." Lance shot back. "He may annoy the hell out of me but I'm with him. There's something funny about this and I'm not about to arrest a man who stopped 9 criminals from hurting innocent people."

"Looks like we have a Mexican standoff here." Yuri commented as the rest of the SCPD officers weren't backing down. Either out of loyalty to Captain Lance and Yuri or respect for Spider-man and the times he's saved their butts.

"Technically a Mexican standoff is when there's a confrontation where no strategy exist that allows any party to achieve victory or won't be able to extricate themselves out without suffering loss. Which is why I'd like to put this on the table." Spider-man held up another phone. "The reason our friend Deadshot is all tied up is because I found him perched up on a rooftop waiting for me. As I took him down, I took the phone and before I engaged the rest of your goons, I was recording everything including your little communique about ordering them to take me down. That along with the little revelation right now is enough to ruffle some feathers and have some serious questions be asked. I mean, how would it look if federal ARGUS agents who are tasked with protecting our country and way of life turned out to sponsoring and controlling deranged criminals for operations on US soil? And as Detective Watanabe pointed out early, they were either dead or supposed to be in jail. Something that a little misuse of government authority and abuse of power might be responsible for. Now I for one would be appalled at learning something like this. What about you, Captain Lance? Would it appall you to learn something like this?"

"Very much so." Lance joked back.

"Yeah, sounds like a PR nightmare and weeks of governmental review." Yuri added.

"Very true, Detective Watanabe. I mean, any agents responsible would be in meetings and reviews for months to figure out what happened. I mean, that doesn't sound good to me." Spider-man said. "One little press of a button and this goes onto the internet for the world to see. And you know the saying, nothing on the internet can be erased. But I'm willing to not let that happen on a few conditions."

"What conditions?" Lyla asked.

"Simple. First, you take your goons and get your crazy villain squad out of Starling City. Two, you appraise the actions of the SCPD for their brave work in helping you today and try to get them some additional funding. And third, last but not least, you leave me the hell alone. I don't know what ARGUS wants with me, but I don't want anything to do with you. I'm not a threat to national security or even international security. I'm just someone trying to help people. You do this, and I make sure this whole thing doesn't make it past some watercooler chat at the SCPD." There was a moment of silence as Agent Michaels though over the proposal. "Tick-tock, Agent Michaels."

"Deal. Stand down." Lyla ordered and the agents did which made the SCPD drop their guns as well. "Well played, Spider-man."

"Coming from you, I don't want that to be a compliment." Spider-man bluntly told her before dropping Deadshot to the ground. Lyla and her agents took the Suicide Squad out of there as quickly as possible and left just as fast. "Well that was a fun, wasn't it?"

"You almost got us killed." Lance told him.

"Relax, Captain you guys were completely safe." Spider-man unclipped a small GoPro camera from the front of his belt. "I had this recording the whole time. Consider it an extra piece of leverage."

"Wow, you really think ahead, don't you?" Yuri pointed out.

"I've picked up a few things doing this for a while. At first, I was just going to record me swinging around the city in first person and upload it to YouTube but gathering blackmail on illegal government agencies is a nice use as well. And I managed to talk her into getting you guys a pay raise." He pointed out.

"Thanks for that." Lance said before looking at the warehouse. "She really set a trap for you?"

"Yup, eight crazy villains waiting for me. Not particularly fun and a little painful. Still, if my pop culture knowledge on secret government agencies is any help…I'll be seeing her again." Spider-man said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some place to be. Catch you guys later."

He swung away as the SCPD officers watched him leave. Lance and Yuri saw him flip through the air before swinging away. "Hard to believe he's just a kid." Lance commented.

Spider-man flipped through the air before landing on the roof of a building about five blocks from the warehouse. "Whew…I'm going to need a long shower after that." He said before cracking his back a bit. "Thanks again for the help, Oliver."

"Your welcome." Oliver stepped into view, his bow down and his voice changer disabled. "It's a risky move messing with ARGUS. Trust me, I know from experience."

"They messed with me first. I didn't even do anything to them. They set the trap for me." He pointed out. "But when that claw guy said they were after me all my worst sci-fi fears came back. What does ARGUS want with me?"

"Nothing good, that's for sure." Oliver put it plainly.

"Then it's a good thing I got some leverage. Better yet…" Will tossed something into the air and Oliver caught it. He checked it over and it was a red thumb drive with a web pattern. "You have a copy."

"Why give this to me?" Oliver asked.

"Worst case scenario. I figured if they came after me again, having a frien—sorry, having a vigilante/superhero compatriot with the blackmail would be a good backup plan. And from what I heard, you at least know these guys and aren't working for them. I plan to give a copy to Captain Lance later." Will explained. "Now, if that is all for the day. I'm leaving. By the way, it was nice fighting with you. Catch you later."

Will flipped off the roof of the building and swung away in style while Oliver walked away and made his way back to the bunker where Felicity and Roy were waiting with Dig who arrived.

"Sorry I wasn't here sooner. Babysitter was running late." Dig told him.

"It's fine. We had it handled." Oliver assured him as he put his bow back onto its hanger.

"So, how was your first ever team up with Spider-man?" Felicity wondered.

"Brings up a lot of questions. It wasn't regular criminals setting a trap for him it was ARGUS." Oliver explained. "Waller sent her Task Force after him."

"You mean her Suicide Squad. What did Waller want?" Dig asked.

"She wants Spider-man. My guess is all his actions in the city has gotten Wallers attention and she wants him for her Task Force or his powers. But she was motivated."

"Deadshot was there." Felicity told him.

"Lawton?" Dig was shocked to hear that.

"We had it handled, Dig. Lawton along with the rest of the squad was taken care of when the SCPD arrived. It's only because Lyla and ARGUS arriving that they're not in holding cells." Oliver handed Felicity the Spider-drive Will gave her and she began analyzing the information.

"Of course, Lyla was there. Waller's gonna make her try again." Dig pointed out.

"That's not likely after what we heard over the comms." Roy told him.

"Spider-man pretty much blackmailed Lyla and those ARGUS agents into leaving and never coming back." Felicity explained while showing him the video from the Spider go-pro along with the recordings of Lyla as Harbinger ordering the Suicide Squad into position and to attack along with the little standoff. "Kind of wish I was there to see it all go down."

"Waller isn't going to be happy about this." Dig stated.

"That's true but her hands are tied at the moment. We've got a copy and Captain Lance will have one as well. Hopefully she doesn't know who Spider-man is yet but something like this won't deter her for long." Oliver added.

"That almost sounds like concern. Glad to know you're not still on your vendetta against him." Felicity commented.

"He saved me from Bane. I owe him that much as least." Oliver admitted.

"Bane? As in the master mercenary Bane? Waller must really want him bad." Dig stated.

"Considering that he was able to take down several members of her group before I showed up will only add to that. Dig, keep an eye on Lyla. I don't want to think what Waller would do if she gets her hands on him." Oliver was slowly…like glacial slowly letting his guard down with Spider-man but someone like Waller…he didn't even want to think what she would do with him or with his powers.

Will had made his way back to the dorms of SCU while triple checking to make sure he wasn't being followed. He climbed into the window of his dorm room and began taking off his suit to take a shower and to wash it. It smelled like old warehouse mixed with sweat and cat fur. He could guess where the last one was from. He took off his red suit and groaned a bit as his body showed some bruises from his fight with Bane. His superpowers gave him superhuman durability and healing, but it still hurt. Any normal person who went through what he did wouldn't be able to walk or would probably be dead. He'd be fine by tomorrow.

The electronic keycard lock to his door clicked so he quickly put on a t-shirt as Aria walked in. "Hey, you ok?" She walked over to hug him, and he hissed a little.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sore." He assured her.

"What happened?"

"It's a long, long…long story."

Line Break xxxxx

 **October 31** **st** **, 2014 Starling City**

Halloween had arrived in Starling City with decorations and costumes galore. Speaking of costumes, Will was swinging through the city early in the morning to do a little patrol before the big Halloween party tonight. He was looking forward to it. His first Halloween with a girlfriend so what's not to love.

"Twas' the morning of Halloween, and all through the town. Not a creature was stirring, not even a…clown?" Spider-man flipped through the air before landing on a flag pole. "I guess it kind of works. Still, got to enjoy a morning where nothing bad happens. Maybe people are starting to learn to not engage in criminal activities."

Unfortunately for him, his spider-sense went off and his hearing picked up the distinct sound of buzzing. He looked around and saw four small drones flying towards him like the one Smythe sent to spy on him. "Me and my big mouth."

The drones picked up speed and were heading straight at him before the small guns on the bottom activated. He back flipped up the side of the building and jumped off before swinging away as fast as he could. The drones kept on him and unbeknownst to him they had cameras which were recording and broadcasting his movements and actions to their operator. He web swung up into the air and fired a web at one of the drones as he landed on the roof of a building. He yanked it down and smashed it onto the roof only for it to explode. "Ok, exploding smart bombs. Definitely not good."

The drones stopped firing and instead flew towards like they were on a kamikaze attack. One got close so he rolled out of the way and it impacted an air conditioning vent before exploding. The force knocked him back a bit, but he landed on his hands before flipping back to his feet. He jumped off the building as one drone flew after him while the other flew in a different direction.

"This is getting ridiculous." He swung around the side of a building and made his way down an alleyway with the drone right on his tail. He vaulted off a fire escape with style when he saw the other drone come straight at him. "So, trying to box me in…"

He kept swinging and waited for the right moment. Just as they got close, he let go of the web and fell to the ground as the two drones impacted one another in a big explosion. He managed to land on his feet with no injury and was fine. "Whew. That was close. Wonder what Smythe and the Big Man have planned now."

On the other side of the city in the secret warehouse that Spencer Smythe and his son Alistair had been working out of the past month, the two scientists and Hammerhead were the ones responsible for the little drone attack on Spider-man.

"Well that was a waste of time. Your drones are about as useful as the rest of my guys have been against him." Hammerhead said.

"They weren't there to kill him, Hammerhead. Merely to confirm what we already know about him. Now, with the last of the data on his powers the Black Widow is completely set for the elimination of Spider-man." Spencer assured him as his gaze turned to the 8-legged two-ton spider themed tank that was resting on the platform nearby with the assembly machines finishing any last-minute adjustments. The black and red colored spider tank was powerful, fast, and dangerous with eight high-powered pistons legs for urban mobility, six hover jets for flight, a 225-degree field of vision with the cameras and lenses on the face, a hardened tensile steel/titanium outer shell and enough fire power to attack a city.

"Good but remember. That hunk of metal is just to capture him. The Big Man is gonna want to kill Spider-man himself." Hammerhead walked up to the Black Widow to get a closer look as several of the mechanical assembly arms were working. One arm was dripping acid onto various spots that were then connected or screwed shut.

"I wouldn't get too close. That acid is the only thing that can penetrate the Black Widow's armor." Alistair warned him. "Your employer's investment will be well worth it and the last month of modifications will ensure its success."

"Huh, kind of fitting the bug gets squashed on Halloween. And because of the all the other freaks in costumes, no one will even know he's gone." Hammerhead was full of glee. He was looking forward to this. "Tonight, we're going bug hunting."

Back with Will, after his little drone mishap he made his way home for a bit to pick up his Halloween Costume for the party. His mom was helping him with the suit and was holding it for the time being. He used his key to walk in and saw May getting a bag of candy ready.

"Hey, mom." Will walked into the kitchen and kissed her on the cheek only for her nose to scrunch up.

"Why do you smell like smoke?" She asked.

"A tiny bit of pyrokinetic action in the city. Halloween pranksters who were a little too into their pranks." Will walked over to the closet to get his costume which was in a black garment bag. "So, what are your plans? Going to stand out on the patio and scare off the neighborhood kids?"

May chucked a piece of candy at his head that he caught. "Very funny. This candy is for the annual Halloween charity reception at the hospital. You'll try and stop by in your suit, right?"

"By suit do you mean my Halloween costume or the costume I wear every other day it's not Halloween?" Will joked only for May to give him a look. "I'm kidding. Of course, I'm stopping by. I'll pop in and hang out with the kids for a bit before I meet Aria and the others at the party."

"Remind me again why this party is happening at a warehouse?" May wondered only for Will to shrug his shoulders.

"I don't know. And it's not an abandoned warehouse that this city has too many of. It's a party space that one of the fraternity's own. From what I understand, one of the Frat brothers got rich and bought it. Don't ask. Anyway, pretty much for twenty years that place has been used for parties and the Halloween one is supposed to be the biggest of the year. But don't worry, I'll be safe." Will assured her.

"You better be. Halloween may all be fun and silly but it's also a night a lot of bad things happen." She warned him.

"Mom…every other night is a night that bad things happen. Hell, I'm the one stopping said bad things. Compared to beating the snot out of criminals, a college Halloween party is going to be a cake walk. And I'll be there to make sure Aria, Emily, and Spencer are safe." Will promised. "Is Maya here?"

"No, she's with Emily. It's nice that Emily has someone as well as Spencer. Toby is such a nice young man." May added. Toby, Spencer's boyfriend showed up yesterday and he was a cool guy. He was a carpenter back in Spencer's home town of Rosewood and was going to the police academy. He seemed like a cool dude and it was nice to not be the only guy anymore. At least for a few days.

"True. I'm just glad I'm not the only guy anymore." He added.

"Still…just be safe tonight." May was still a little concerned. She knew her son was a superhero but that didn't mean her worry would ever stop.

"I will. Besides, it's Halloween. What's the worst that can happen?" He asked. Later that night he would kick himself for saying that.

After another stop in the city to pick up a last-minute item, he made his way back to his dorm room where he saw Aria getting things ready. "Hey, you."

"Hey. You almost got a peak at coming attractions." She said as she gave him a kiss when she noticed his confused look. "My costume."

"Ah, speaking of." Will opened up his backpack.

"Did you get it?"

"Yup. One old school looking compact mirror from a pawnshop as you requested to complete your outfit." He handed it to her, and she smiled. "The store owner was nice. Granted, I was probably the youngest person to walk in, but she was nice. Gave me a discount."

"Thank you. I can't believe this is the one thing I forgot for my whole outfit." Aria said, placing it down on his bed where her entire costume was laid out.

"Wow, it looks amazing already and it's not even on yet." He hugged her from behind. "By the way, what are you doing in my room? How come you aren't in yours?"

"Spencer's at her parent's place who are out for the weekend so they're staying there to get ready and Emily needed the room so she and Maya can get ready. And it made more sense for me to come here than her." Aria pointed out.

"Oh, beautiful, funny, amazing designer, and smart. I hit the complete package, didn't I?" Will gave her a quick kiss and she kissed back.

"Yes, you did. Speaking of amazing designer…" She walked over and grabbed her duffel bag. "Your new suit is finally finished."

Will opened the duffel bag and saw his new suit was based on one of the designs she showed him a while ago. He took out his new mask, which was still red, but a black web pattern was added in and rather than cloth over the eyes it was plastic lenses with a chrome covering so he could still see but no one could see in. One of his suggestions to the design. His regular mask was fine, but the cloth did little to keep dust out and the glare from the sun or lights could get annoying. The new lenses would help. "I'm liking the new mask."

"The lenses were a little tricky to work around but I managed." Aria told him.

"Aria, it's amazing." He pulled her close and kissed her and she kissed back with equal passion. She moved her hands up his arms and over his muscular shoulders. "I'm really looking forward to tonight…which is why I'm hoping you'll be ok with what I'm about to tell you."

"What?" Aria asked as he sat down on the bed.

"You know there's the annual Halloween charity at Starling General. To raise money for the hospital, various charities along with helping the kids. It's something I've always helped with." Will told her.

"Ok, so should we stop by and hang out for a bit?" Aria asked.

"Actually Spider-man is going to be making the appearance this time. I know the kids are gonna love it. But having you and the girls show up without me might raise some questions. Everyone at the hospital knows me so it'll be weird if you, Emily, and Spencer show up and I'm not there. Especially since they'll have their significant others and I won't be there with you." Will pointed out.

"Fair enough." Aria replied.

"So, I'm gonna head there for a little big at around six. I'll spend some time there to help with the charity fundraising and spend some time with the kids and then I'll race back here, change and meet you guys at the party."

"Sounds like a plan." Aria gave him another kiss. "I think tonight is going to be a lot of fun."

"Definitely. Even though I haven't seen you in it I know you'll look amazing. Maybe you can wear it again another night?" He wondered only for her to give him a look.

"You wear a costume for your man on Halloween, it's fine. You do it any other night you end up on a morning talk show." Aria told him only for Will to chuckle as he pulled her onto his lap as she sat down sideways.

"I don't know. Depends on the costume. And given I wear one every single night…maybe I'll return the favor." Will joked.

"I'll hold you to that." Aria gave him another kiss.

Line Break xxxxx

The sun was starting to set as the city was going into the full groove of Halloween fun. Costumes, candy, and parties galore. It's not often Halloween falls on a Saturday, so people were going to take advantage of it. Parents were taking their kids Trick or Treating while teenagers, college students, and young adults were going to parties. The police would have their hands full with drunken idiots. Halloween was one of the busiest days of the year for them. That and pretty much every other major holiday. For one Captain Lance however, he was using this day for something else. He parked his squad car outside the Starling City hospital and walked in to the little charity Halloween party. Nurses and doctors dressed up in costumes, candy was given out to Trick or Treaters, and a general fun time was had. It was started years ago to help raise money for the hospital and local charities and to give some of the patients who have been stuck in the hospital during the time something to take their mind off their situation.

Captain Lance walked in to one of the rec rooms where parents, some city officials and businessmen were standing around and enjoying themselves while donating to charity. Kids were dressed up in costumes and had fun while nurses handed out candy. Kind of ironic given that hospitals and their staff would tell you to avoid candy but it's Halloween. May Detmer was there dressed in her doctor's coat but with a red clown nose on her face. Her costume as an homage to Patch Adams. Quentin made a small donation to the charity box and walked over to May who was playing with some kids.

"Quentin, good to see you." May smiled and Quentin smiled back.

"Good to see you as well, May. Looks like you guys are busy around here." Quentin commented, seeing a lot more kids than usual.

"Well, someone may put it out there that Spider-man might be making an appearance at the hospital." She told him only for Quentin to point to several kids and even dads who were dressed up as Spider-man. Blue sweatshirt with black spider symbol and all. Will should have really licensed his image. He'd be making a lot of money. "Well, I'm still hoping he'll make an appearance tonight. But what brings you here? I figured that Halloween is usually pretty busy."

"It is but after doing this for so many years I've gotten a handle on it. My guys are already out there so hopefully things go smoothly tonight. I figure Spider-man can have it handled." Quentin commented as the two walked a little and separated from everyone else.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. After this, something tells me he's going to be busy tonight." May told him only for Quentin to give her a confused look. "It's all right, Quentin. I know you know about my son."

"He told you that he told me? Wait, he told you about his…extra-curricular activities?" Quentin was not expecting to hear that at all.

"Of course. My son can't hide anything from me. Plus, he spoke to me when he was first thinking of doing this after Deathstroke's siege so I would have pieced it together." May said. "Am I ok with him going out there every night and risking his life? God, no. Am I proud of what he's trying to do for the people of this city? Yes. Do I wish I could talk him out of doing what he does? Yes."

"Then why don't you?" Quentin wanted to know how she would be ok with her son going out into the city and fighting criminals.

"Believe me, there are days I don't want him to go out there. When I watch the news or read about the crimes he's stopped, I'm beyond worried. Many of the criminals he fights end up in this hospital for treatment and I worry every single night that he'll be one of them." May told him and he could tell it was still a worry she had. "But I also meet the people he saves. There was a family of four in here a few days ago who were in the emergency room after the nasty pile up on Adam's street. They had some cuts, bruises, their son had a concussion and their daughter had a fractured arm. A lot of other people in that crash were hurt but are alive because Spider-man arrived in time and got them all out of there before a gasoline truck exploded. He saved a lot of people that day and every other day he does what he does."

"Yeah and he's saved dozens of my officers too. Hard to believe the guy who's done all that is someone you'd pass by on the street as a normal person." Quentin commented.

"That's kind of the point." May replied only for Quentin to look confused. "Will told me that when he started, he felt he was given his powers for a reason. Out of anyone in the world who got them, it was him. He could have robbed banks or got into show business, but he decided to help people. That alone shows how much of a good person he is and that he is someone you can trust. But more than that, the people rally behind Spider-man because it can be anyone under that mask. He just happened to be the person who got bit. He strives all of us to be better."

"With great power comes great responsibility. He told me that." Quentin said causing May to smirk.

"He got that from me." She told him. "The day Starling no longer needs Spider-man and he is ready to hang up his mask I'll be beyond happy. But until then, I'll support him however I can."

Quentin looked at May and smiled. The kid was lucky to have a support group like this. "Officially I can't condone what he does, and I really don't believe in him risking his life out there. But I understand it. I'll make sure his faith in me isn't misplaced." Lance added.

"Even superheroes need help." May finished.

"I have to wonder if he's told you about everything, have you told him everything?" Quentin asked only for May to hold back a smirk.

"If you mean if I've told him about our coffee or lunch dates…then no. I figure he has enough on his plate. When the time is right, I'll let him know. But before I decide to tell him I'll have to make sure that this is something worth telling him." May replied causing Quentin to chuckle.

A few blocks from the hospital, Will was on the roof of a building getting changed into his suit. His spider-man suit not costume for Halloween suit. He slipped on his mask and sweatshirt before webbing his backpack and costume garment bag to the roof. "All right, let's ready a memorable Halloween for the kids." He shot a web line and swung off the rooftop. He made his way through the city when a drone picked him up and transmitted his position to Hammerhead and the Smythes.

"There he is. Time to squash the bug." Hammerhead told them as Alistair got on the console and hit a few buttons, activating the Black Widow. The hover jets ignited and lifted the large metal tank into the air, eventually flying through the warehouse and through the retractable skylight in the ceiling.

The Halloween charity reception was going great as they had raised a good amount of money and the kids were having a great time. May's phone went off and it was a text from Will saying he was here. Time for the main event.

"Ok, everyone. Time for the costume contest. Everyone gather around." May announced as all the kids got together. "Wow, look at all your great costumes. This is going to be a hard decision."

Spider-man swung down to the hospital and landed with a flip in the parking lot. Nearby pedestrians saw him and began taking pictures. "Hey guys!" He shouted before walking into the hospital where he was greeted with looks of confusion from the hospital staff who didn't seem him land outside. They thought it was someone for the Halloween party. "Excuse me, I'm looking for the charity Halloween reception."

"Oh sure, it's down the hall and it'll be on your right. It'll be in the recreation room. Are you a parent?" The nurse at the reception desk asked.

"Oh, no. I'm too young for that. Just here to pop in and say hello to the kids on the Halloween." He replied before firing a web at the nearby bowl of Halloween candy and handed her a lollipop. "Happy Halloween from your friendly neighborhood Spider-man!"

The nurse was dumbstruck at what just happened. Was that really Spider-man? Her question was answered when he jumped up and stuck to the ceiling. The other nurses, doctors, patients, and guards saw Spider-man crawl on the ceiling as he made his way to the party. He made his way to the rec room were all the kids, parents, and hospital staff were unaware of his presence. "Hey, I know I'm a little late, but I don't suppose I can enter the costume contest too? I do have a pretty cool costume!"

"SPIDER-MAN!" All the kids were beyond excited to see him here as he crawled on the ceiling and dropped down in the center of the room. He high-fived kids, tousled hair, and posed for pictures. The parents immediately took out their phones and began taking photos of their kids with a real-life superhero who just so happened to show up.

"I heard through the web vine that Starling General hosts a charity reception on Halloween. Not to mention a costume contest so I had to come and put my two cents into the hat." Spider-man joked as the little party began to draw more attention from the hospital staff who were drawn to the ruckus. Pictures were taken and immediately tweeted out for the internet to see. Granted it was Halloween so whether it was going to be taken seriously is something to consider.

He took photos with the kids, the parents, even the city officials took photos with him along with signing dozens of autographs. He also paid a visit to the kids who were in the ICU or the long-term care ward and it made their days even better. Stopping bad guys is important but the little things matter too.

After an hour of hanging out with the kids and making a memorable Halloween, his spider-sense went off. He looked at the window and saw several quick moving shadows of drones flying outside. They must have followed him here.

"Uh…I'm sorry kids. I hope you had fun tonight but duty calls. I've got some Spider-man business to do. Have a fun Halloween for the rest of the night. Stay safe, listen to your parents, stay in school, eat your vegetables, and don't eat candy that's not wrapped!" He shouted as he jumped through the window and super jumped into the air before swinging causing all the kids to cheer.

He swung into the air and web zipped to a rooftop when several drones showed up "Just great, more of these things."

The drones opened fire, so he quickly dived off the roof and swung away with the drones keeping pace with him. Guess the Smythes made some upgrades. He ran on the side of a building before jumping off and swinging around the corner. Trick-or-Treaters on the street got an awesome Halloween treat in seeing Spider-man in action. He flipped through the air and grabbed onto a flag pole, using it to spin and launch himself in the air. He fired a web net at the drones and trapped them before throwing them into the side of a building in a small explosion.

"Done and done. And with plenty of time to spare to get to the party." He hung from the side of the building only for his spider-sense to go off again, only with a greater intensity. Something seriously bad was going to happen. A distinct roar of an engine could be heard as something large and powerful was getting closer. A missile hit the side of the building, exploding and knocking him away. He managed to catch himself with a web and landed on the side of another building to see what attacked him and it wasn't good. A large black and red spider tank with glowing red eyes hovering in the air and it didn't look happy. "Oh, crud. That doesn't look good. Me and my big mouth. I don't suppose we can talk this out, one arachnid to another?"

Its reply was in the form of an attack. Its fangs sparked and fired a beam of electricity at him which he quickly jumped out of the way to avoid. Spider-man ran up the side of the building with the Black Widow hovering after him. The nozzle in its mouth fired a stream of oil on the side of the building that made him trip and lose control.

 _'_ _What the hell? That oil is cancelling out my spider stickiness!"_ He thought to himself as he fell and bounced off the body of the Black Widow with a hard clang before falling to the ground. He fired a web and swung away with the Black Widow chasing after him. Despite Spider-man's agility and web swinging speed, the Black Widow's hover jets were a lot faster. It was about to run into him only for a last-minute web zip to the side saving him from being roadkill. The claws on the two front legs opened to reveal mini-rocket launchers. It fired a salvo of rockets that Spider-man managed to avoid by turning into a narrow alley. Normally it'd be his saving grace, but the Black Widow just hovered above and fired down more rockets.

"Geez, talk about being relentless." He flipped, jumped, and spun through the alleyway to avoid getting hit but he couldn't do this forever. He needed a plan.

He spun through the air and saw a fire hydrant, so he fired a web and yanked the hydrant off. The torrent of water hit the Black Widow and caused it to stagger, giving Spider-man some breathing room which he used to land on the roof of a building. He spun the fire hydrant and threw it at tank only for it to bounce off like it was nothing. "All right, that didn't work."

The Black Widow reacquired him and used the claws on the second row of legs which contained machine guns. It opened fire but Spider-man was able to dodge and dive which is exactly what it wanted. With Spider-man busy dodging gunfire, the claws on the third row of legs activated into grappling claws which launched at him.

Spider-man flipped onto the ledge of the building to avoid a barrage of bullets only for two sharp spider-like grappling claws to grab him. "Seriously? Grappling claws? What's next, acid venom?" Spider-man asked only for the claws on the last row of legs open to reveal acid nozzles. "Oh, man. I've really got to stop saying these things out loud."

The grappling claws began to retract and pull him in which he resisted and using his super strength and sticky powers it was working. He saw the oil nozzle prepared to fire, probably to prevent him from sticking to the roof. Before it could fire, Will acted, letting out a guttural shout and broke free of the grapple claws with brute strength. He grabbed onto grapple cables and jumped into the air to avoid the oil. He flipped over the Black Widow and landed on the back of the large tank. He maneuvered and tangled the cables around its legs only for the large tank to hover into the air and began thrashing to get him off. He held on tight and managed to take out two acid embrittlement bombs. He smashed them onto the back of the tank before zapping them with his venom shock. One solid super punch would have ended it but instead of a brittle crack he got a steel clang as his fist didn't break through the Black Widow's armor, only bent it.

"SHIT!" He shook his fist in pain and saw the acid embrittlement bombs only chipped away the paint and weakened the metal, so his fist slightly bent it but didn't weaken it completely. It'd probably take three dozen of the vials to break through and he didn't have that many. "Well, that's not gonna work. I'm running out of ideas here."

The Black Widow was now flying above the buildings in an effect to shake him off, but his powers of stickiness were helping him. He saw a construction yard about a mile away and was instantly hit with another idea. The large tank continued thrashing until Spider-man had crawled over and poked his head into view of its menacing red eyes.

"While some people would say size matters, I think there comes to a point where it gets out of hand and you went past it. I mean, you haven't been doing a good job at catching me." He quipped before webbing up some of the lenses to obscure its vision before jumping off.

The Black Widow hovered around a bit, accidently bumping into some buildings before it stopped. One of the machine guns retracted back into its claw form so it could rip the webbing off its lens. With its vision unobstructed, its targeting computer tried to reacquire visual of Spider-man and saw him web swinging away.

The construction yard was only a quarter mile away when a salvo of rockets from the Black Widow put Spider-man on the defensive. He flipped and web-zipped with agility and speed which allowed him to dodge three. To prevent the rockets from hitting a building or careening to the ground and hitting a civilian he fired a web at the closest one and threw it at the oncoming rockets. After another swing to get some distance he repeated it two more times for the second and third rocket, but the third rocket was too close, so the explosion sent him flying away and crashing down into a parked car on the side of the road.

"Damn…those rockets are powerful." He picked himself out of the car and saw the scratches and cuts on his suit, sweatshirt and mask. Despite the pain he was feeling, his surge of adrenaline let him jump out and keep swinging to the construction site. He webbed a sewer manhole and threw it at the Black Widow along with a mailbox and several trash cans as a distraction which gave him just enough time to enter the construction yard. Lucky enough the workers were gone for the day.

He chucked some bags of concrete powder at the Black Widow which fired its electricity fangs causing a huge cloud of powder to appear. That's exactly what Spider-man wanted as it gave him some time to move into position. He fired several thick strands of webbing at a leg and stuck them to various places around the construction yard before moving to another spot and doing the same thing over and over to various spots all over the spider-tank. It was like that scene in _Gulliver's Travels_ where the tiny people try to tie Jack Black down with dozens of small ropes all over his body.

The Black Widow fired its machine guns at him but kept missing as Spider-man was vaulting around the construction yard and half-constructed building like a monkey in a jungle gym. Eventually all the webbing began to restrict the Black Widow's movements as it couldn't turn or adjust its position as easy as before. It managed to snap a few ropes of webbing, but more would just replace them. After firing over a hundred strands of webbing, he quickly reloaded his web shooters before jumping over to the large wrecking ball crane.

"I've wanted to do this since I was a kid." He used the controls to turn the crane into position before pulling a lever and letting the wrecking ball loose. The five-thousand-pound steel ball hit the Black Widow hard and sent it careening to the ground where it crashed by the waterfront of Starling City bay.

The crashed spider-tank drew in bystanders who began taking photos and a few brave and already drunk idiots got in close and started touching it. One drunk idiot in a Spider-man costume got on top and began dancing only for the Black Widow to crawl out of the ground and throw him off. The Black Widow managed to reorient itself onto its legs but the left leg on the last row was badly damaged, the circuitry inside the third row was glitching, a massive crack and bend in the body of the tank along with the cracking of the lenses indicating that the wrecking ball did a lot of damage. The software inside the Black Widow was running a little slow after the massive hit but was slowly recalibrating. The software recalibrated quick enough for the lenses to pick up a massive dump truck coming straight at it.

The spider-tank met the speeding dump truck head on and despite the damage it had sustained it was able to hold it back. It maneuvered one of its acid nozzle legs at the truck and sprayed the front. The acid ate away and melted the metal frame before it dissolved the car seats, steering wheel, dashboard and engine block. The Black Widow and its operator could see that the truck was empty, having been propelled forward with a cinderblock on the accelerator and webbing on the steering wheel to make sure it didn't swerve.

"You've got to be kidding me." Spider-man was hanging onto the back of the truck. He really thought this would work. "What's it gonna take to kill this thing? A giant can of raid?"

He flipped onto the top of the truck and ran over to the Black Widow. He flipped into the air to avoid a slash of acid but before he could fire a web at its acid nozzle leg, its broken grapple leg slammed into him and send him crashing into a Halloween store. The Black Widow tossed aside the dump truck before making its way over to the Halloween store while the nearby bystanders ran away in fear. It looked inside the Halloween store to see a lot of destroyed property, broken glass, a partially destroyed wall and scattered Halloween decorations and costumes all over the place. The store workers and customers hugged the wall or hustled to an exit except for the ones that were injured. Its visual system managed to see Spider-man slumped on the ground unconscious, so it picked him up with one of its claws before igniting its hover jets and flying away.

The pedestrians and Trick-or-Treaters started to get closer after the spider-tank left and uniformed officers arrived as first responders. They walked into the destroyed store and helped the injured civilians when the crumbled down wall was lifted off the ground by a tattered and bruised Spider-man. One of the officers rushed over to help and they pushed the wall back up straight before it was webbed into place. That would hold until it was professional checked over.

"Thanks." He cracked his back to help alleviate some pain and tension before cracking his neck. A glance down and he saw his suit had more cuts, scrapes, and pretty much wasn't in good shape. It was a good thing Aria made him a new suit. "What happened? Where's the giant tank?"

"It took off a minute ago. We thought it had you." One of the bystanders said.

"Guess it was wrong. Who did it take?"

"I think it took Dan. He works here at the store and he was dressed up in a Spider-man suit." The cashier dressed as Snow White told him.

"Yeah, Dan's the only one who's not here." Another cashier added. He was dressed as the Arrow.

"Don't worry, I'll get him back." He fired a web and swung out of the destroyed store before making his way up to the roof of a tall building. He perched himself at the top and began looking around, even adjusting his eyes to scan around miles away but couldn't see anything. "Dammit."

He pressed his earpiece and contacted Yuri. " _Spider-man, I was expecting to hear from you. Does this have anything to do with all the calls of destruction and a giant spider tank?"_

"Yeah. I'm guessing we know what the Smythes were working on for the Big Man. I lost sight of it by the waterfront. It mistakenly took a civilian it thought was me. If it took me then it means Hammerhead and the Big Man want to deal with me personally. I'm heading to the industrial area where you said you lost Alistair Smythe. I need any kind of hints or calls you might have gotten in that area. A giant metal spider tank is going to have drawn attention." He told her before jumping off the roof and swinging as fast as he could.

 _"_ _Right, I'll get on it. I'll talk to Captain Lance and we'll get Patrol cars there as fast as we can."_ She said before hanging up.

Line Break xxxxx

The Black Widow flew above the city in the Industrial area but one of the hover jets wasn't working because of the damage it sustained so it wasn't flying as high as it normally would. It eventually arrived at the warehouse and hovered down in through the hole in the ceiling before landing down on the resting platform. It dropped Spider-man down on the ground in front of Spencer and Alistair Smythe along with Hammerhead and his group of goons.

"There is he, Hammerhead. I told you the Black Widow could accomplish its task." Spencer Smythe informed him.

"Guess I was wrong. Maybe the Big Man was right to have faith in you and your kid instead of branching out to what Kingsley has to offer." Hammerhead walked over to the downed Spider-man to get a better look. "All the damage done to the Big Man's turf because of this runt. Time to find out who you really are."

Hammerhead ripped his mask off and saw an unassuming dude in his mid-20s. He had blonde hair and looked like a nobody. "So that's the mysterious Spider-man? I honestly expected more." Alistair commented.

"Yeah, well so did I." Hammerhead replied when Dan woke up in a groan. "Well, well look who's finally awake."

"What's going on? Where am I?" Dan looked and saw Hammerhead in his face. "Who are you?"

"You're worst nightmare web head." Hammerhead told him as his goons aimed their assault rifles in his face.

"Whoa! Wait! I'm innocent! Whatever you think I did I didn't do!" Dan pleaded.

"Oh, shut it, web head. You've been messing with the Big Man for too long. But now you'll finally get put in the ground where you belong. Like a real spider, I'm ready to squash you underneath my boot." Hammerhead kicked him in the face hard.

Dan tumbled on the ground and crawled away in fear. "Please, stop! I'm not Spider-man. This is a costume for Christ sake!" Dan begged.

"Yeah, right freak. Nice try." One of the goons taunted him.

"You've got to believe me. My name's Dan O'Brien. I work at a Halloween store and when I'm not working there, I work at a Starbucks." Dan took off the suit and sweatshirt to reveal his regular clothes and his web shooters to be plastic. "See? I'm just a nobody. I'm not the real Spider-man. Everyone's dressed like him today!"

Alistair wheeled over and picked up the web shooters to see they were made of plastic and just for show. "I think he's telling the truth."

"If he's not the real Spider-man then, where is he?! I thought that stupid thing was supposed to be the best, but it can't even tell the real web head from an idiot!" Hammerhead shouted at Spencer, not happy one bit.

"The Black Widow clearly suffered damage from the attack. It's the only explanation as to why this happened." Spencer assured him.

"Or maybe its not as bright as you think?" Spencer, Hammerhead, and Alistair were tied up with webbing when the real Spider-man swung down from the ceiling. "After all, I mean it confused a fanboy with the real deal original."

"SPIDER-MAN!" They shouted.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." He swung down and kicked Hammerhead's goons away. "You would not believe how hard it was to track you guys down. But just FYI, for the future, you might not want to have several suspicious looking black sedans parked outside an empty warehouse. Kind of a dead giveaway."

He back flipped in the air to avoid an attack from behind before landing on the goon's shoulders and doing a scissor throw. The door to the warehouse was kicked in and the rest of Hammerhead's goons opened fire at him which led to some graceful dodging. Spider-man grabbed Dan and jumped out of the way. "Get out of here and call the cops!" He told him before web zipping to one of the goons and kicking him in the face.

One of the goons rushed over and cut Hammerhead free. "Smythe! That insect does not leave this place alive. If he does, then you're done for. Use the Black Widow and kill him!"

The goon cut Spencer and Alistair free as the elder Smythe quickly rushed over to the computer console and reactivated the Black Widow. Spider-man finished kicking the snot out of the rest of Hammerhead's goons when he saw the spider tank approach him. "Huh, so that's your name. All right, Ms. Black Widow. I know you're stronger than me but maybe this will give me an edge."

He grabbed a steel rod and smacked the robot in the face but all it did was stagger. Two of the goons got back up and shot at Spider-man only to miss. "Hey, do you two mind? The Black Widow and I are trying to have a conversation." He shot two globs of impact webbing at them which took them out of the equation. The Black Widow fired another barrage of bullets from its machine guns which made Spider-man jumped around the ceiling rafters before it fired one last missile barrage. Spider-man managed to avoid almost all of them before webbing the last one and hurling it back at the Black Widow, but the large tank knocked it away and sent it crashing into side of the building. All the missiles did some damage to the roof of the warehouse and the one that hit the side started a small fire.

"Alistair, get out of here!" Spencer told his son as he maneuvered the Black Widow with the controls.

"I'm not leaving you father!" Alistair told him.

"Go now! I'll catch up!" Spencer assured him only for some falling debris to collapse down from the ceiling. With the fire spreading, Hammerhead's goons took off as fast as they could. Sure, they would have liked to kill Spider-man but not burn to death in a warehouse.

The Widow's electricity zapper blasted his webbing and sent him crashing into a large chemical vat. Despite his head ringing like a bell, he managed to spot a chemical formula on the vat that read H₂O: HC₂. Must be some kind of Hydrochloric acid hybrid.

"Acid. That might be enough." He now had a plan in his head. "All right, you overgrown excuse for an arachnid. Is that all you got? I was honestly expecting more."

The Black Widow charged forward with its legs and fired a barrage of bullets only for Spider-man to flip over it. The bullets hit the chemical vat and riddled it with holes, allowing some of the acid to escape and melt the ground. Spider-man hurled three acid bombs at the chemical vat and zapped them with a venom shock before firing a web and pulling hard. The weakened metal from the bullet holes and the acid embrittlement bombs were enough to make a large section of the vat crack away causing acid to spill out. Spider-man flipped out of the way while the acid washed over the large robot tank and began to eat away at the metal. It desperately tried to climb out of the way like an actual spider would if it was caught in a trap, but the acid dissolved its legs and hindered it ability to move so it was stuck to be slowly dissolved into nothing.

"Whew, finally." Will said to himself before looking around for Hammerhead but didn't see him. He must have skipped once the fighting started. The fire and smoke were an issue as it began to get harder to see and breathe but he spotted a lot of fallen debris by a large computer set up. Spencer Smythe and his son Alistair were trapped under the rubble. A part of him would have said instant karma but the superhero part knew he needed to save them.

He quickly jumped down and despite the smoke making it harder to breathe and see he began moving some of the heavier pieces of debris out of the way. Spencer Smythe awoke to see fire and smoke and to see Spider-man lifting some debris off him. Despite having created the Black Widow, Vulture, and Shocker to kill him, the hero decided to try and save them. "Hang on, I'll get you out." Spider-man told him as he lifted off a large piece of rubble.

"My son…" Spencer looked over to see Alistair trapped underneath a large I-beam. "Get him out."

"In a second. I need to get you out first." Spider-man told him.

"No. Get my son to safety, please!" Spencer begged. "I'm sorry about everything, Spider-man but please help him. He's the only good thing I've created in this world. Don't let Lincoln get to him."

Spider-man wasn't sure who Lincoln was but nodded and quickly rushed over to free Alistair. "Spider-man?" Alistair coughed up some smoke, not expecting to see Spider-man helping him. "What about my father?"

"I'll get him in a second. He wanted me to get you." A grunt preceded him lifting off all the rubble and pushing it away to pull Alistair off the ground.

Alistair breathed a sigh of relief with all the rubble off his body but saw his father still pinned. "Father!"

"Spider-man get him out of here! Go!" Spencer shouted.

"I'll come right back for you! I promise!" Spider-man swore before firing a web and swinging out of the warehouse to the street where several officers had already arrived including Yuri. Spider-man quickly dropped Alistair off by Yuri and made his way back to the warehouse only for it to explode in a huge ball of fire and knock him away. Alistair looked at the warehouse in horror and sorrow at his father's death. Will managed to recover from the explosion and was filled with sorrow as well. He couldn't save Smythe…it was the first time he couldn't save someone.

The fire department and more police units soon arrived on the scene. The fire was put out as quickly as it could, and Alistair Smythe was put into protective custody/arrest. With everything the kidnapped victim saw, Smythe's lawyers were going to have their work cut out for them. The fire crew did what they could with the fire and managed to put it out eventually. The fire fighters did a sweep of the place, but they didn't find a body. It's possible Spencer Smythe made it out or his body was vaporized from the explosion. Alistair sat in sorrow and grief in the back of a cop car under guard by some uniformed officers Yuri knew she could trust. She was waiting to talk to him until Captain Lance arrived which was now.

"Has he talked yet?" He asked.

"Not so much as a word." Yuri told him as the two walked up to Alistair Smythe.

"I want my lawyer." Alistair told them both.

"Yeah, and you'll need a good one. Because of the eye witness testimony not to mention all the stuff we found in your warehouse, you've got a lot of explaining to do, Mr. Smythe." Captain Lance told him only for Alistair to reply saying he wanted his lawyer.

"The best thing for you, Mr. Smythe is to talk to us. I highly doubt you'll want to be paid a visit by Hammerhead anytime soon. You know the Big Man is going to send him after you to make sure you stay quiet." Yuri said and the subtle twitch he made when she mentioned those names indicated she was on the right path. "We can help you."

"You can't help me. No one can." Alistair replied.

"Yes, we can." They looked up and saw Spider-man perched up on a lamp post. His suit torn and tattered, but he was still alive. "I'm sorry about your father, truly I am. Even after everything you and he did to try and kill me, he wanted to make sure you were ok. It says a lot about him."

"You. You are the reason he's dead." Alistair spit in anger.

"I'm not the one who decided to work with criminals to fund their research or built weapons of mass destruction to tear up my city." Spider-man pointed out. "The fact that Hammerhead and his goons were so eager to leave you all the die shows you're on the wrong side. They'll come after you again to make sure you keep quiet. If you want someone to blame for what happened to your father, then blame Hammerhead and the man he works for. Who is the Big Man?"

"Why should I tell you? All that does is secure my place in jail." Alistair told him.

"I'll talk to the DA and work out a deal for you. If you're honest with us and give us everything you have then I'm sure you won't do much jail time." Captain Lance suggested.

"If you give us enough to stop the Big Man then something can be worked out." Yuri added.

"I heard Hammerhead's threat. Your best bet is to help us. You can trust Captain Lance and Detective Watanabe. They're the straightest shooters in the SCPD. And I'll do my part to keep you safe as well." Spider-man promised. "Who's Lincoln?"

"The 16th President?" Lance was confused as to why he said that name.

"Smythe senior said that he didn't want Lincoln to get to you. Who is he? Another associate of the Big Man?" Spider-man asked.

"L. Thompson Lincoln isn't an associate of the Big Man…he is the Big Man." Alistair told him. "That's his real name. The Big Man, all the criminals in this city and everything Hammerhead or his goons have done have been on his orders. He's the one who ordered my father and I to design the weapons to kill you."

"L. Thompson Lincoln as in one of this city's biggest philanthropists? He's supposed to be one of the good guys. He's donated millions to charities and philanthropic organizations for years." Lance replied.

"All a front for his criminal enterprises along with another. Roderick Kingsley." Alistair added and that name caused Will to go wide-eyed.

"Rodrick Kingsley as in Kingsley Unlimited? That media and fashion company CEO? He's apart of this too?"

"How do you think Kingsley acquired all the funding for his company and the means to diversify his holdings the way he has. He helped fund Lincoln's rise to power along with other criminal and illegal organizations from weapons manufacturers to science companies with less that stellar reputations. With all you've been doing to take down the Big Man, Kingsley was affected as well." Smythe explained.

"Right. We'll get you into protective custody. Watanabe coordinate with Pike and keep this off the main channel. If what he's saying is true, call in the FBI as well." Lance ordered and she got to work, taking Alistair away as quickly as she could to avoid prying eyes. Lance walked over to his car while Spider-man followed him. "When Watanabe said you two were on to something big, she wasn't kidding."

"Yeah. Believe me, I wasn't expecting this at all. You know the Big Man?"

"Not personally, no. I've seen him at functions and events. He's a hard person to miss and a little intimidating but he's a philanthropist. He's donated thousands, if not millions of dollars to charities, functions and even to various members of the city leadership. He's got a lot of pull with the right people and seems legitimate." Lance explained. "I'm just having a hard time believing that a guy that good can be a criminal mastermind."

"Malcolm Merlyn." Will pointed out.

"Touché."

"I don't think Alistair was lying and if Lincoln is the Big Man then he's more than a philanthropist. And he's got a lot of influence in this city. I'm gonna pay him a visit." Will said.

Line Break xxxxx

In the business sector of the city, a beautiful and expensive building was home to various wealthy businesses and entrepreneurs. Wall Street broker, venture capitalists, to offices for major companies…basically if earning a million dollars was a good month for you then you had an office here. Spider-man arrived at the building for one office in particular. He forced open one of the windows and jumped in only for private security guards to arrive. Before they could fire their guns, they were web yanked forward, kicked into the ceiling and webbed there for good measure. With the nuisance taken care of, he vaulted through the air and landed on the large desk.

"Trick-or-treat. I'm here to see Mr. Lincoln."

"Then you should make an appointment. But perhaps we'll make an exception for the hero of the day." The deep baritone speaker turned in his chair to reveal a tall, large, albino skinned man in the fancy business suit. "I am L. Thompson Lincoln."

"You can drop the act there, big boss. I know you're the Big Man."

"In my life I've been called many names. My favorite…" Lincoln stood up from his chair to show he was tall, at least 7ft and built like a UFC fighter. "…is Tombstone."

"Back off. I've taken down hundreds of your minions not to mention the Black Widow. A pale guy in a suit doesn't…UGH!" He was punched across the face and knocked to the ground but rolled back to his feet as Tombstone jumped from his desk and closed the distance. Spider-man threw out a punch that Tombstone blocked and responded with a gut punch and a right cross to the face that made him eat dirt. Tombstone slammed his foot onto his chest and kept him on the ground. Guess he wasn't the kind of boss who needed people to protect him.

"Don't move, just listen and I'll teach you the facts of life." Tombstone said only for Spider-man to web a billiard ball from the pool table and throw it at him. That didn't work as Tombstone caught it with his hand and crushed it into pieces. "The Big Man, whomever he might be, has nothing against heroes. No hero can thwart enough crime to dent his income. Even when the Vigilante showed his face his Starling, it did little to impact his business. But you…you frighten criminals off the street entirely. Except when you're off battling the likes of Shocker, Vulture, and the Black Widow. Then the Big Man's profitable army of petty thugs think themselves beneath the Spider-man's notice."

"So as long as I keep fighting crime, you'll keep making bigger and badder…" "Now you're learning." Tombstone smirked before walking over to his desk. "But there is a way out. Come work for me. You can still save the world like a good hero. I'll even pay you. All you have to remember is to look the other way on occasion. On any occasion I choose."

Tombstone took out a briefcase filled with cash to make his point. When Spider-man didn't respond right away he thought he won a small victory by getting him to join…but he was wrong.

"Sorry, but I make it a personal policy not to do business with anyone who doesn't get the adequate amount of sunlight and vitamin D…or is sociopathic. And no matter who you send after me, I'll send them right to jail where they belong. Then I'll come for you and I won't stop until you join them." Spider-man proudly told him before webbing the couch and throwing it at the window, causing the window to break. "Bill me."

Spider-man jumped out the window and swung away, leaving Tombstone in a foul mood. He wouldn't rest until Spider-man was dealt with. He reached over to his desk phone and dialed a blocked number. "Mr. Kingsley…it's time your scientific funding be put to good use. Your objective, bring me Spider-man."

Will swung away from Tombstone's office and made his way through the city. "Did you get all that?"

" _Loud and clear."_ Lance replied. He was back in his office on his computer because Spider-man had recorded everything with the GoPro on his belt. He made sure it was hidden and live streamed everything to Captain Lance. " _Guess Smythe was right. Still hard to believe he's been right in front of our noses the entire time."_

"It's how he's been able to stay hidden for years until I decided to mess with him. So, can we go arrest him?" Will asked, hopeful this would end.

 _"_ _It's a little more complicated than that."_ Lance told him.

"How is it complicated? We've got Smythe's testimony, not to mention everything that Tombstone just said. If anything, we can at least get him on bribery."

 _"_ _True that Smythe's testimony will get us in the door but after that we'll need to find another way to take him down. I can't go to the DA with this footage especially if it comes from the GoPro of masked superhero who broke into his office. The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine is set up to prevent evidence being used in a case if it is acquired illegally and I'm pretty sure this is illegal."_ Lance told him.

"Fruit of the poisonous—Where did you learn that?" Will asked.

 _"_ _My daughter's the ADA and my ex-wife was a lawyer. I picked up a few things. Don't worry, Will. We'll get this guy."_ Lance assured him.

"Just great. As if this night couldn't end on a worse note. I've won all the battles and never came close to winning the war. But Tombstone did make one mistake. Now I know there is a war. So, bring it on." Spider-man said to himself.

 _"_ _Don't beat yourself up over this. You did good today. Took down a giant robot and we know about Tombstone and Kingsley. I've already got Watanabe working on a warrant for him. We've got them on the run. Take it easy tonight. Get some rest or go to a party. You're a college student. Go have fun."_ Lance told him and once he finished his sentence Will immediately went wide-eyed.

"Oh, shit! The party! I'm so late! Got to go!" Will hung up and made his way back to the roof to get his costume and head to the party.

At said party, all the students from SCU and some party crashers were having the time of their life. Either chatting in various dark corners, smoking, drinking, or building up some sweat on the dance floor. Emily, Aria, and Spencer had arrived about two hours ago for the party in their costumes. Emily was dressed as the Queen of the Galaxy Barbarella and Maya was dressed up as Anck-Su-Namun from the Mummy. Granted she wasn't as scantily clad to avoid any grabby hands. Spencer was dressed as actress Ava Gardner and Toby was a 1940's Noir gentleman to help complete the look. And Aria, she was Daisy Buchanan but without her Gatsby.

She was sitting in a corner of the warehouse, sending out another text to Will. Where was he and if he was ok but he hasn't responded. She just hoped that he's alive. Emily, Maya, Spender and Toby finished a dance when the Queen of the Galaxy noticed Aria in the corner.

"Maya, I'll be right back."

"Sure thing. I'll get us a drink." Maya told her.

"Toby go with her and make sure she's ok." Spencer told him.

"Sure thing." Toby escorted her over to get the drinks so no drunk idiot would try anything.

Spencer and Emily walked over to Aria who just finished another shot. "Aria, are you ok?"

"Not really. I've been texting Will and he hasn't texted back. What if he's hurt?" Aria was beyond worried.

"Aria, calm down." Emily sat down next to her to try and calm her mind. "You're only going to rile yourself up if you keep thinking that way. I'm sure he's fine."

"She's right. It's Halloween. I'm sure Will's just had his hands full dealing with drunk idiots like we have." Spencer assured her. "Have you tried calling his mom?"

"She told him he left two hours ago. He didn't say where he was going. She figured he was heading here." She replied.

"Aria, don't' worry. He's fine. We've been worried before, but he's always been fine." Emily reminded her just when Maya and Toby walked over.

"Hey, did you guys hear about Spider-man?" Maya asked.

"What about him?" Aria was now starting to really worry.

"I just heard from the guys at the bar that apparently he was having a fight in the city with a giant spider robot. There are pictures already online." Toby explained as Aria checked. Spencer and Emily looked and the three saw pictures of Spider-man fighting a giant red and black spider tank in the city. That explains why he's late. "Apparently, it caused some damage and blew up a warehouse."

"Yeah. It sounds fun but believe me it's not!" They heard and saw Will had finally arrived in his Gatsby costume which was a very nice black tuxedo, bow tie, pinky ring and his hair combed back like the Leonardo DiCaprio version from the movie.

"Will!" Aria rushed over and hugged him. He hugged back and kissed her. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He assured her before giving her another kiss.

"Where were you man?" Toby asked.

"Yeah, you're seriously late." Maya added.

"Sorry. I was at the hospital for the charity thing when the whole Spider-man robot fight happened. All the destruction pretty much made gridlock traffic. The buses and taxis were stuck. It took forever to get here." Will told them. "Sorry, I'm late but I'm here now so let's party!"

"Fine by me." Toby handed him a shot and he downed it in one. He pretended it burned but his powers made it, so alcohol didn't affect him.

A change to the music got Maya's attention. "Oh, Emily. Come on." She dragged Emily onto the dance floor while Spencer and Toby sipped their drinks. Will brought Aria over to sit down.

"Aria, I am so sorry I'm late. I'm beyond sorry. Sorry doesn't even come close. If there was a better word than sorry then I'd use but I don't know it. I'm sorry." Will begged only for Aria to give him another kiss.

"It's ok. I'm just happy you're ok. You are ok, right? We saw the pictures of the spider robot." Aria had the look of worry, but it was slowly being replaced with relief.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's the reason I'm late but I took care of it and I'm fine. I promise. Although I will be needing that new suit you made me but that's another day. Tonight, I make up for being late. Come on, we're gonna have the best Halloween ever." Will dragged her onto the dance floor.

"Will, you can't dance." She told him.

"Hasn't stopped me yet." He joked as the two had fun like regular college students. Whatever problems would come…it could wait until tomorrow.

You'd think that would be the end of it, but you'd be wrong. Will's problems weren't only beginning and the reason for that would be at the SCPD. Alistair Smythe was in an interrogation room after having given his full statement. His lawyer was now talking with the ADA when the door to the interrogation room opened and in walked a black woman in a business suit. Despite her size, she exuded confidence and an aura of not being messed with.

"Mr. Smythe, my name is Amanda Waller."

"You say that like it's supposed to mean something." Alistair replied.

"It does to the right people. I must say I'm very impressed with your work. Designing a giant robot is one thing but the various battle suits your company manufactured are quite extraordinary. Never did I ever expect to see a handheld sonic weapon with enough power to stop a tank or a flight suit with the same fire capability of an Apache Tomahawk but greater maneuverability. You have a true gift, a gift I'd hate to see wasted in witness protection while your company is left in the hands of your board of directors. I'd like to help with that." Waller suggested.

"How?" Alistair was a little curious.

"I'd like you to come work for me. In doing so, I'll do everything within my vast reach to keep your company from falling into the wrong hands, protect your father's legacy and you get to put your brilliant mind to work on helping your country combat threats both foreign and domestic." Waller offered. "And you won't have to worry about being attacked by Mr. Lincoln or his associates."

"I want him dead." Alistair told her.

"Mr. Lincoln's empire will fall soon enough with everything you've told the police. And with Spider-man knowing what he does now then it won't be long before you get what you want." Waller looked at her watch before giving Alistair one last look. "My offer expires in thirty seconds."

Alistair thought it over for a bit and it sounded better than being in Witness protection and would definitely secure his safety. "Very well. I'm in."

"Welcome to ARGUS, Mr. Smythe." Waller adopted a smirk on her face. Who knows what horrors she would unleash on the world? A good guess would be that the Spider slayer would make a return.

 **End of Chapter 5**

 **Thus, ends another chapter in Spider-man's life in Starling City. The bad guys are in jail, the city is stable, and he lives on to fight another day. That's one Halloween he won't be forgetting anytime soon. Hoped you guys like the little addition of the Suicide Squad. There wasn't enough of them in the Arrowverse. I figured that someone like Waller would have sent them to Central City when Metahumans started to appear but alas we got nothing. So, with Spider-man in Starling, I imagine she would have sent her team to capture him for who knows what.**

 **The Black Widow is destroyed, and Smythe the Spider Slayer creator is done with at the moment, but something tells me that Waller and more of those machines might come back. Despite finally figuring out who the Big Man really is, the war is just beginning and now Tombstone makes his next move. But on the bright side, Will and Oliver's first team up went pretty well. And with everything both of them are facing, perhaps working together might be the key for future threats either of them might run into.**

 **Next chapter, Will's boxing teacher Ted Grant runs into some trouble that puts him in the middle of a weird triangle between Ted, Laurel, and Oliver. After that, he helps Oliver deal with a psycho wannabe stalker. But on the bright side, Ray Palmer reaches out to Dr. Connors so their research could be getting some funding and Will gets to meet a like minded scientist. Although he'll also have to deal with the Big Man's latest attempt to kill him. Let's just say it takes O'Hirn's idiocy and charge first mentality to its likely conclusion. Until next time.**

 **William Alexander Detmer-Age 20: Birthday, October 8** **th** **, 1994**

· **Moniker: The Spectacular Spider-man**

· **Appearance:** Tyler Posey

· **Uniform:** Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider suit.

· **Casual outfit:** sneakers, blue jeans, black or red t-shirt with blue button-up or sweatshirt.

· **Weapons:** Mark 1 Web Shooters, Web Grenades/Bombs, Spider tracers, acid embrittlement bombs, mini-camera/recording device, spider-thumb drives,

· **Skills:** Genius intellect with 250 IQ, Superhuman strength, Superhuman speed, Superhuman reflexes, Superhuman agility and balance, Super senses, accelerated healing factor, wall-crawling/adhesive stick, Spider-Sense, Night Vision, and enhanced range vision, Bio-Electrokinesis/Venom strike-blast

· **May Detmer:** Marisa Tomei

· **Aria Montgomery:** Lucy Hale

· **Emily Fields:** Shay Mitchell

· **Spencer Hastings:** Troian Bellisario

· **Dr. Curt Connors:** Dylan Baker

· **Yuri Watanabe:** Kelly Hu

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-man, Arrow or any above-mentioned products. All rights belong to their respective owners, I'm just a big fan.**


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